[This letter describes the Battle of Allegheny Camp, also known as Allegheny Mountain, in Pocahontas County, West Virginia]

Camp Alleghany Va
Dec.. 16th 1861
Dear Pat
A long time scince I
received a letter from you and I now
am seated to write you a short letter
to inform you that I have been through
another battle: On friday last the 13th Dec,
is a day long to be remembered by not
only by me but many a poor soldier:
the battle raged for 6hours; during which
time many a gallant and brave man
bit the dust: on bowth sides: we lost in
killed 21 or 22 among whom were two gallant
Captains of Va, and a first Lieut of Capt
pattersons Co: Lieut More from Lowndes Co Ga,
the wounded were 96 in all, and 24 missing:
from the 12th Ga 6 killed and 37 wounded
5 missing: many of those that are wounded
I dont think, will ever recover, The adjutant
Gen, Deshler was severely wounded.
but the most interesting to you I suppose
will be the fate of the Muckalus, Well Pat
I am proud to state that we were in
front and that we never flinched from the
[page 2]
tremendious shower of minnie balls that
rained upon us for hours consequently
we were obliged to suffer considerably;
but encountering all the dangers to which
we were exposed we came out with the
loss of two men one killed: and the other
we suppose taken prisenor, Carter was killed
by a bullet through his head, Tawbert [1]
missing: and one severely wounded: Picket [2]
4 others slihtly wounded; Taylor Wallace Ogletree
and myself; I was slightly wounded in
the calf of my leg about 6 inches above the ankle
very early in the contest; I had my gun at
ready when the ball struck me; I continued
loanding and fireing for some time after
untill my leg began to hurt me very much
when I sat down by the trun of an old
tree and examined the wound and saw
that it was very slight; when I loaded my
gun again and was ordered back to my
[??] by this time there was the greatest confu
-sion that I ever saw in my life we
were [??]ttered to and fro and the yank
-ies in the same condition, there were yan-
kies on bowth sides of us but finally after
loosing a great many men they began to
leave in double quick. when we salouted them
[page 3]
with several pieces of artillery [???]ing
them off tremendiously with grape & canister
winning a most briliant Victory over the
rebbles [3]: Pat I am in good health at this
time except my leg: it is very sore this
morning but dont pain me at all,
I think it will soon get well: The sergeon
wanted me to go to Staunton Hospital
but I told him that I could fight yet
and I did not want to go, and he let me
satay; Pat I have never left the comp-
any one day yet; not for anything; and
I dont want to leave it unless I cant
get a furlough to go home; Which will
be (I am afraid) a long time from this
day; Oh” Pat how pleased I should be if
I could meet all my brothers and sisters
at that old residence of my Dear Father
& affectionate mother: and enjoy the pleas-
ures of life and the comforts of home once
more; well Pat I have faced the Enemy in an
open field fight where there were 3 or 4
to one and they with long range hunns and
us with short, and we whiped them of[f]
the field and run them for one mile
a half; but they marked me and many others
with a scar that will be with us as long as
[page 4]
life endures, Pat we have orders
to vacate this place, and move
to the rear for active service but I
cant tell how many days it will be
before we leave, not more than 5 or 6 at
the outside; so you may Direct your
next letter to Staunton to be forwarded
to the 12th Ga, I think that we will
be sent to winchester or manassas
I must close by saing please show
this to Pa as soon as you see him
I wrote to him of the knight of the
fight but did not give him an account
of the battle; Give my love to Sis
and all the family. and receive a
brothers love, from your affectionate
Brother W Batts