Franklin Va, May 18^th 1862

 

Cousin Lydia.

                        It has been such a very long time since I wrote a letter to you, that it is not strange if you have forgotten that you have a cousin they call Hez. Hill Grove has ever been a pleasant place to me, second to none but the home of my youth. This is Sabbath morning one of the most beautiful days of the season. everything wears a smiling appearance seemingly to reproach for the warlike appearance we present.

 

I am thinking of the contrast between a Sabbath at home and here in camp At the sound of the churchgoing bell you repair to the place of worship to attend Sabbath School or listen to some interesting discourse from the pulpit. Here we hardly know the day when it comes. Tis true we have what is called a chaplain in our regiment / but if he is one of those persons that was called to preach then I am persuaded that a mistake has been made somewhere he has favored us with a weak discourse on three or four occasions since we came to va.

 

            I writing beneath a beautiful pine tree with several of the boys. we are out of hearing of the noise and bustle of camp It appears so delightful after being shut up in camp so long to get to take walk in the country. Before us the Shenadoah Mountains stretch far away clothed in their mantle of green It is really a beautiful sight to see those majestic pines towering to the skies, interspersed here and there the monarch of the forest lifts its head, just putting forth his leafy foliage

 

            All that is wanting to make a residence here perfectly delightful is good society, which I presume will never be, as the glories of the old dominion have departed, and the liberty of its people have been trampled / and their flag dishonored by a set of northern vandals as they term us.

 

            We are here now under the command of the great explorer and path finder Gen. Fremont We have a force of nearly thirty thousand men and about sixty pieces of cannon. All have the utmost confidence in the ability of our General. Our brigade commanded by Gen. Milroy were stationed at M^cDowel until the 8^th of May when we received orders from Jeff Davis or some other man to leave. It was thought best not to obey the order very promptly On the morning of the 8^th the rebels began to advance Skirmishing began early in the morning but nothing important occurred until evening. About four oclock orders came for the 25^th & 75^th O. to move out we began to ascend the mountain. the 25^th holding the post of honor being in the advance Co A went a head to ascertain the position of the enemy as we emerged from the dense wood into an open field we beheld / the gentleman we were expected to pay our addresses to drawn up in line upon the summit. This was a moment of deep anxiety the work of death would soon begin and who would be the victims. But not a man flinched all deeming it a noble death to die. Our Co advanced as skirmishers and received the enemys first fire. The regiments then advanced in fine order pouring a tremendous fire into the enemy. The battle raged with the greatest fury until darkness put an end to the contest During the engagement several other regiments came up to our assistance among them were the 79, 82 and 55^th O. Our regiment lost seven men killed and fifty four wounded our Co had fourteen wounded I came safe without a scratch I fired sixty rounds during the fight

 

I think that I took ample revenge for what they did to me at Allegheny in December. My love to all the folks

 

write and give me all the news

 

            Direct to          Hez Thomas

                                    Co A 25^th O.V.

                                                Franklin Va.

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