 |
July 5th, 1863 |
||
|
I shall write to May Nelson as soon as it is light enough. On the Battle Field near Gettesburg, PA July 5, 1863 Dear Mother I have been through one more terrible battle and thank God I am still safe and sound. But not so with the rest of my companions. Smith Haight is dead and Edwin Nelson is I am afraid mortally wounded. Also our captain is dead. James Reed is a prisoner with one more of our company named Kipp from Milford. We brought Haight and Nelson off from the field more than a mile. Smith died before we got him to the hospital. We gave him a verry deacent burial and had a chaplain to read the burial Service. That is a great deal better than I have seen done by thousands of others for the last two days. We have whipped the Rebels badly this time and have held the field every night, but I hope that I shall never be obliged to lay on another battle field as long as we have lain here. The burial parties have been at work faithfully all the while but have not got near all the dead burried yet. The Enemy has fallen back and we followed them up this morning at day light. We found Reed and our other men in a hospital taking care of the wounded. Our loss has been very heavy in general officers and so it has with the rebels. The rebel Cavalry has captured our mail so we do not get any more right away. I cant write any more now it is getting so dark. The Enemy left the most of their small arms on the field I should think from the guns that are left. I will write more as soon as I can. Your affectionate Son CJ Hardaway |
||
|
Footer |