Uptons Hill Six Miles fro Wash. Sept. 232^rd  62

 

Dear Brother

                        Your favor of the 25^th came to hand last night glad to hear from you A short accout of our doings since I wrote we left Strassburgh shortly afterward quite a scaly trick was played off on us about that time it was this. Through the manoevering of some of the officers that would rather draw pay than fight we were taken out of Milroys Brigade The curses of the men of the 25^th Reg^t were both loud and deep We had served so long under the old gray headed Indianian that we had learnd to love him and would follow him to hell and back. The beauty of the matter is he always goes ahead himself. As you say Milroy was in advance but we were not with him After leaving Strassburgh we came to a little town called Sperryville and camped here for one month I had a bully time here, did not have much to do but drill. Here Sigels Corps was organized and our Brigade composed a part of it, with [paper fold] our Division commander he is one of the best old gents in the army he had the misfortune to be severely wounded at the battle of Bull run No. 2.

 

At Sperryville forage was quite plenty small fruit quite abundant. Somehow or other every few night a nice bucket of honey would in some mysterious manner find its way int to the quarters of Co. A One morning such an article was found in my own little tent greatly to my chagrin of course. We use tents that three men quarter in each and a fellow can have a good time when he gets mess mates that are sound on the goose. Two can go out to forage while the other stays and tends to things at home. When Pope issued his order number five it raised quite an alarm among the citizens you ought to have seen the old fellows coming to tak the oath and claim that they had always been loyal and would do any th for their country ask to volunteer about this time and the were not quite so patriotic as the thought /

 

            As a matter of course we could not remain long in camp idle we came to fight and must do it as a matter of course We received marching orders the 8^th of August at night and marched all night arrived in Culpepper the next day after night a battle had been raging south of town The battle as you are aware is known as the battle of Cedar Mountain. It was all over before we got there. the next day Saturday considerable skirmishing was done Sunday was spent in burying the dead of Fridays battle I was out on the field for an hour or two It was a horrible sight to see the dead a person could not recognize anything about them they were loathsom to look at A great number were killed the dead were scattered all over the field some places in heaps. At one point it appears that a hand to hand encounter had taken plas with a union Soldier he had piled eleven of them around him with his musket some of them had their heads entirely demolished. He fell at last with three shots through his body he still grasped his gun in his hands the stock broke entily off

 

            Well we marched a few miles further South and camped near the Rapidan river a very pleasant place with plenty of roasting ears of which I usually made a daily deposit of about fourteen. other forage was scarce and we were

 

            Well now a word about the great and redoubtle John E. Pope when he came into this department his talk was that he was used in his course of warfare to always get a sight of the enemys backs Very good so far so good the backs of our enemy was the very part of the animule that we wanted to see. Just get them started once and we would give hail Columbia. Everything went along finely we had a large army and as a matter of course Gordonsville would go up in a very short time and then advance upon Richmond by the back door, the terror of Popes name wining half the battle / But it came to pass in those days that John whose surname is Pope became greatly alarmed at what no one person could demonstrate His knees somote one against another and he was sorely troubled. Yea he seemeth to imitate the actions of a man that had smelled a huge mice. He snuffeth the battle afar off but concluded that the force coming out to meet him would not have the politeness to show him their backs. He saith in the plenitude of his fear I must get out of this, the camping ground is not good the atmosphere is obnoxious and for the health of my family I must remove them. We packed up and started at midnight of the 17^th and marched north through Culpepper. Here we divided our forces Sigels Corps marched towards Warrenton The balance to Rappahannock Station we crossed the Rappa river at the Sulphur Springs a noted watering place The enemy was not long in coming up and the cannonading began on the 20^th from this time for thirteen days following we were within hearing of cannon and musketry Our Regt was not much engaged here except one day when we got a pull upon a Regt of them and made them skedaddle

 

Well nothing of importance happened until we got up to the great stream called Bul run It ought to be called Popes run now. Sigels Corps arrived on Thursday 28^th late into the evening. Early in the morning Sigel placed his forces in position and began to shell the enemies position a sharp fire was kept up during the day with artillery There were also some very sharp infantry fighting at different times Milroy was into it pretty heavy you might swear He lost a good many men. The result of this days fighting was we drove the enemy at all points about a mile /

 

            The next day Pope arrived and took the chief command and materially altered some of Sigels plans and every thing went to h—l The Infantry engagement began about three in the evening The rebels charged our lines with great fury not regarding grape or cannister no mor than beans

 

            Our Brigade was on the left flank the enemy came up in mass in front we poured round after into them and woud have held our position had not a large force come in upon our flank and we were becoming surrounded, and no support was sent to us in time. We were ordered to retreat and save ourselves.

 

I am of the opinion that I made just as good time as the best of them can do. you could not play marble on my coat tail or anything of that kind you bet, or any other man. I was awfully afraid they would give me a spot in the stern, but I came through safe. Co A. lost none killed but had eight wounded and three taken prisoner. After the battle we fell back to Washington. Our Corps is not doing much now. M^cClellan is giving them hail in Marylang. So you are going to marry well go your length. I presume that I will be broken down before the war is over and will have to stay with Dad. I have the appointment of Sergeant Major of the Regt it is not much of an office but better than the one that I had. Dish is doing well I presume but I have no late news from him. I have nothing from home for nearly two months I fear I will have to send soldier letter as I am out of sta

 

I will clos write           H                     Hez. Thomas

                                                            C. A. 25^th O.V.I

                                                            M^cBeans Brigade

                                                            Sigels Corps

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