Sharsburg Sept 21^st 1862

 

Dear Brother

                        As I have got a few liesure moments this morning I thought I would write you a few lines just to give you an idea of what we have passed through this last week. We left Frederick City about a week ago close to the heels of the enemy and a kept gaining on them all the time as we advanced untill we got so close to them they were compelled to stop and give us battle on the mountains which was an awfull tough place for us to drive them from for it was almost right up and down it was so steep but we finally drove them out of the mountains by the point of the bayonet which they cant stand no how but there was a good many killed however on both sides before we routed them. This fight on the mountains lasted two / days and the second night the enemy retreated but we were so close to their heels that they did not get out of sight. this time our Brigade were in the advance and we captured any quantity of prisoners I dont know the exact number but it was several hundreds. We still kept advanceing untill within about two miles of Sharpsburg when the enemy made a stand and waited for us to come up. We still kept on and saw the enemy drawn up in line of battle and waiting for us to get near enough. We saw them and made preparations for the battle before we were half ready for them they opened on us with their Artillery. I tell you we want many minutes in getting our batterys in position and our Brigade was ordered to support them. we soon opened on them and kept a steady cannonading untill dark. We had a good many wounded and about a dozen killed. We had one man wounded in our Company this time it was Cap Tribou of Middleborough / he was one of our Colour Bearers he had his left foot shot off by a solid shot. The next day we had four or five more batterys and kept up a regular Artillery fight all day you better believe the shot and shell flew thick and fast over and around us all that day but their was but a very few killed. We burst two of our 20 lb Parrot Rifle Guns that day but as good luck would have it no one was hurt by them. The occasion of their bursting was their getting so hot by fireing so fast. Our shells made awfull havoc among the Rebels for we could see them carrying off their dead and wounded. several times we made it so hot for them that they would run and leave their guns but we did not have Infantry enough to go and take them for our forces had not arrived but now we have got enough for almost anything /

 

The next morning we were relieved from supporting these batterys and were ordered around on the right. We marched about two hours before getting there. We had to pass through one river where the water was up to ar middles but thats nothing for we quite often that to do. We finally came up with the enemy and we formed a line of battle and marched up in line and halted for orders. We soon received orders to go in and relieve Gen French Brigade (by the way he was killed) we marched up within about five hundred yards and halted and took off every thing but just our equipments while we were halted here the Rebels saw the Green Flags of our Irish Regiments and knew the Irish Brigade was a coming in and immediately formed a whole Division in our / front to receive us. As soon as we were ready again we started at charge bayonets and halted within about a hundred yards of their lines and poured into them such a riping and crashing you never heard. Our poor fellows fell like grass all along our lines but the way the enemy fell was terrible. the killed and wounded lay in piles top of one another. I suppose it was the greatest slaughter ever known in this country. The enemy formed in our front five times and the prisoners we took here said they had all confidence in capturing our whole Brigade. The Rebels all say that our Brigade strikes a dread all through their Army for it is the toughest one they have to deal with they say there is no back down to us and thats a fact for we always face the music whenever we are called upon. I saw a number of Brigades march up that day and then break / and run back they couldnt stand the fire. I suppose we see some sights that would make you tremble in your boots it is quite often after a hard battle to see around our Hospitals a pile of legs and arms thrown up one side just like a pile of wood. We went around after the battle and piled up the dead Rebels they looked like a mess of hay stacks. They say we are a going to have two or three days to rest but wether we shall or not I dont know but I really hope we shall for we have not hardly had time to eat for the last two months. I forgot to say that Lawrence R Blake was killed in the battle and John Shannon had two of his ribs broken by a piece of shell the rest of us are all right I wish you could see the flags in our Brigade they look like a lot of fish nets they are so riddled /

 

So there is nothing more of importance to write about this time I will close by bidding you good bye for a few days you must use your own judgment in directing your letters while we are chargeing about so this is all this time So Good Bye

                                                                                                            Murray

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