Culture

Hall Town, Aug. 27^th, 1864.

Dear Wife,-

I received a letter from you yesterday Hope you received my last. It was short but it was good, was it not? Warren’s wound was not considered dangerous, though it was very severe. My old bunk mate at Brattleboro was wounded. The shot came from a flank fire and in some way passed between the heel cord and the bone without touching either. We fought all day. We drove the rebels back. Drove them up a long slope of a hill side, through a corn field; after getting up the hill the land was in ridges. About two hundred yards from the crest of one hill to another. We drove them one ridge too far. They were not driven back immediately on our right, and there was a wooded ridge that came in between in this shape. 

Bolivar Heights, (Md),

Aug. 22^nd, 1864.

Dear wife,-

Accept this. We have been in a hard skirmish. I am all right. Alva Warren badly wounded. Our regiment lost 35 men in killed and wounded. Our regiment. Col. Hale and Maj. Dwinnell both wounded. We held the Rebs though all day.

  Aug. 19^th. Near Charlestown, Va. I have just heard that the mail was going out. I must send this unfinished, as you probably wonder why you do not hear from me. We are going towards Harper’s Ferry now. Have had a very hard march from where I commenced this letter. The rebs have got their heads rubbed pretty hard in this valley. What has been going on in the balance of the world I know not, as we have not heard one word. Have had but one mail, and no newspaper. In that I will give an account of the march when we get to a place where I can write. Came through Winchester. None of the second or third division have seen any fighting since we left Middletown. Have not seen Zopher but suppose he is all right.

  Aug. 15^th. Here in the same spot. When we came in here the supply trains were just coming
in. The report was that the whole of the cavalry train of thirty-five wagons had been captured by guerillas that came through Snicker’s Gap. Our train was in the rear, the cavalry train in the center of the train guarded by hundred days men. They run without firing a gun, in fact, there was no firing on either side. That was all true, but last night we heard the rest of the story. Our cavalry in small force came up before they had time to remove the wagons or the supplies. There was a paymaster and his wagon, and money with the train. They had got the paymaster and had just got the money out and were opening the box but got none of the money. Others were taking off the mules. The cavalry retook all except the paymaster and a few of the mules. My informant said that he saw 16 of the guerillas that were captured and that there were others, so that and that Snicker’s Gap region is an infernal one. They care but little for anything but the plunder.