May 9th [1863] Creek Va
Camp Near Potomac
Dear Wife
knowing your anxiety I have
taken this morning to drop a
few lines to you we arived in
Camp last night after nine
days hard marching fighting
also never did an Army march
with greater rapidity or fight
with greater desperation than
did the Army of the Potomac
we fought them ba hard dri=
=ving them some of the time
and were driven by them
such is the fate of war what we
accomplished God knows as for
me I cannot tell only I have
my mind relative to it although
it may differ from the paper
corrispondence for they will
make it out it [to?] S[nit?] the time
[Page 2]
Therefore I will give as near a account
or detail of the matter as I can for I
was an eye wintness of the Seen to much
for my own good for I Saw or heard
more balls fly than I wish to hear our
Brigade was the first to engage them
Sunday morning the day of the hard
fighting such a fight I never before
witnessed as was on that morn the
air was full of balls and Shells
mans life was in jeopardy in
any place whether up to the front
or in the rear many were wounded
running back to the rear the Army was
regulary panic stricken at first but
with rigid and Strict guards the Army
was at last quieted and drove the
enemy back or in others words held
them in check Some of our Army
run back and crossed the river
[Page 3]
both officers & men all I can say is such
Officers as those should be tried by a drum
head court marshal and shot down for
cowardice if Officers are allowed to run
what confidence has the men to fight if
their officers will run of course the men
will for my part I think justice should
be done should it commence at home
for without order all are confusion
but enough of this Sh such things as
panicks are frequent and when it
hapends perhapse men an Officers
are to much blamed for it our big
Officers get out generald and rush
a large force against Some weak
point in the line causing the line
to be broken at that point confusing
the men which are stationed to
Strength or hold that point causing
[Page 4]
panic amongst others and so it goes
I guess I will not weary your patience
by going on with a legthy detail
of matters and things Suffice it to
Say we had a hard fight loosing
a great many men and I think
the rebels lost more for they
rush on with furious impetuosity
right up as it were to the mouth of
the cannon they acted more like
fiens than men but thank God
they did not accomplish what they
undertook although they wounded
and killed many of our men but
they did not annihilate the whole
Potomac Army they will find they
are a few left to fight them yet
I am not quite discouraged yet nor
do I mean to get although it seams
[Page 5]
fate is against us at times perhapse
all things will work together for good
for those that love and Serve God I
must acknowledge that we are trusting
to much to man I will make a long
matter short I will Say Steve come
out all Safe and Sound John the Same
Philand got wounded in the Arm &
as we were obliged to fall back from
that point I think he was taken prision=
=er by the enemy he has been taken
once before as for Wesley Divine I
could not Say but think perhapse
he will turn up in a few days for
he is very timid and I think he may
turn up in the rear for he ran back
toward the rear he might get wounded
or killed for all that though for I
mind the balls flew over my head
[Page 6]
like hail stormes Wilson Terry got wounded
Slightly but not Seriously unless Some
disease sets in Lieutenant H.H.Hinds
was wounded Slightly Captain Lyons
was also wounded and quite a number
others in our company but none
you know I expect we will Soon
leave this place for I think we will be
marching out of this place in a
few days but enough of this I guess I will
close my preamble by saying close you
must not get discouraged because
you do not hear from me oftener
for we may be marching for a while
before we get Settled again I expect
to see Some hardships for a time
dont get afraid for if God be for
us who can be against us he has
protected my life so far and I am
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willing to trust in him yet I lost
those likenesses you sent me last
Sunday in the fight but I worry
the most about my Bible of any
thing I lost let it go I Should feel
thankful I come off with my life
if I did get a Slight wound on my
Arm it keeps me from carrying a
gun you must write often and I will
do the Same when I can if we lay
around here we can write often I
wish we might lay around for a
few days and get rested but as
for the rest God knows what and
when we march I cannot tell nor
do I wish to know they Say old Abe
Lincon is down on a visit to the Army
how true it is I cannot Say so good
bye for this time This from your
Husband & friend
L. A. Granger