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slaugtered as the fire was so hot we couild not lode our peases.
Out of about 200 men in our regiment 70 was left horse de combat.
9 of my companions in the Co. I belong to ownly 4 or 5 will git over it.
This all happened when you undoutedly was in your bed asleap little
thinking we were fighting so desperately on the banks of the Rapperhanock.
About 12 O'clock the hights of Fredericksburg was taking by a division
charging on to it. The rebels fighting every inch of ground. We captured
I should think about 1500 priserners hear. Our men, after taking the
hights run the enemy about 6 miles when they came and consentrated
there hole forse on to our Corps and drove us back like sheap. Would
to God we had had ownly reinforcements to help us but they were
not there. I can not tell how things has went. All I know is our Corps.
Was surrounded and we had to fight our way out the best we could.
Two Companies of our regiment was taking prisoners as they were sent out
on picket when our corps was on a retreat across the river at Bankesford.
Our regiment went into the fight with 393 muskets and now we muster
230 men making 160 men killed wounded & priseners. That is doing very
well for one fight I think.If this reaches you I wish you would send me
a paper with the full perticculers of this fight for I think it has
been the bluddest that has been fought through this war. I do not
know what to think of it for every thing seamed to faver us fer a hole
[?week] and fer it to turn out as it did in more than I can tell. Still I                                                                                                           will
not say eny think untill I git the official report of General
Hooker. We had ought to have been succesfull for his planes was
good as far as I could see. I heardly now what is to become of us as a
People and there is nothing left for the government to do but inforce
the conscriptun as our army has been weakened considerable and
will be weakened still more by the 9 months men going home
in a few days. All the trubble is we have not got men enough
in the field and to cary this war to a succesfull close we have got
to have men. If men will not come out, conscript them. If they resist
the draft, blow them to peases for they are unworthy to be called
americans. Give my love to Pa. Tell him I received his letter and
was verry glad to hear from him. Give my love to Edmund, Henery,
Clarra, Phebe and her little ones. Also to Ann Louisa & her husband.
I want you to write as soon as you git this letter so I will know
that you got it. Also, let me know if you got that money yet as
that worries me a little. It has rained fer the lass 4 days making
it feal eney think but cumfortable for us as we was out into it most
all the time. Today it is very warme and nice, but I feal the affects
of the late storm a little as the rumertism has ketched
me in the ankles a little, but I gess it is all right. I have
very little more to say this time ownly do not feal uneasy
about me fer the wound I got is allmost healded aready.