Down in the Woods near the Railroad,
July 2, 1864.
Dearest wife,
Here I am on Picket again, near a good spring. Some of the boys have shot a fat heifer and are engaged in
frying, drying and boiling the meat, but I draw more than I can eat, though my appetite is pretty good, I assure you.
July 4th. Here we are again, around on the left again. Each raid we go on, when we come back, go a little further to the left. We had the hardest march that I have had since I came out, but it was so hot, and the dust was so thick, that often you could not see a man four rods. It was worse for the Brigade than it was for us, for they had to march in ranks. The pickets are required to march quite so close. We got here about noon, day before yesterday and laid pretty still. Since have done a little work clearing up the grounds. I have been out visiting some today. The other Vermont regiments, except the 10th, lies on our left near by. Have seen several that I knew, Jim Switzer, Alvin Stokes, etc. etc. Alvin Stokes is writing at the Adjutants quarters now. Looks tough and hearty. Jim is a picture of health. Henry Bushaw is not very well, has the diarrhoea some. Jim Switzer and I went to find the 10th Vt. Today, but they have moved since yesterday. They then were near us in an open field. They have moved somewhere into the shade I suppose and it was too hot to hunt them up. Zopher is pretty well worked down. He wants rest. I hope the whole corps will get it. I am as tough as a nut, but many of the men are perfectly tired out, though they should see me fall out pretty soon, when I came, not being used to it, but I have kept in my place on all the marching yet, though once I was the only man in the file that kept up, but I will not brag. You ask me what I do when it rains. Well, it does not rain here, and from appearances I should think it never had or never would. It is said by the negroes here to be one of the warmest and dryest seasons known here for several years. We have been mustered for 4 months pay. Captain Davis gave me an invitation to clerk it a little, but I gave him the name of a better man than I am. It will take a week if we remain in camp, to get them made out. Capt. Davis does his own writing usually, but he is now quite unwell. It will only excuse a man from fatigue to be company clerk. Have to carry a musket, and do just as much fighting as now.
You ask me when I expect to get a commission? Of that I cannot tell. One of our men who passed the board went to see Major General Foster. He said that he hoped to commission all that had passed the board by the first of August, but it will depend upon the recruiting. They are doing pretty well now. In Kentucky now there have been several from this Brigade ben ordered to report to Louisville, Ky. Within a few days. I shall try to get a furlough if this campaign is over before, when it will be over I can give you no opinion. I suppose Petersburgh might be taken tomorrow, but at an awful cost of life. I have seen the ground look blue with dead and wounded. Neither side can drive the other from breast works unless the advantage to be gained is great. I have been where I have expected every moment to be attacked. Lee has had every chance to attack the 6th Corps within the last few days. Without doubt he would have done it if he had been strong enough.
What a shameful thing that gobble of the 11th was. They were never ordered to take arms, and the rebels had not time to move them. They were left in the stacks. The rebels cut the equipments as they hung on the stacks, and the boys had their haversacks open and their bread out and their green apples, some in the dishes on the fire, some partly cut, everything was left just as it was. I do not think that a gun was fired by a man in the 11th Regt. The 3rd Regt. Was in much more danger, but not a man was taken. The 4th was farther from the railroad on this side, and were moving down to join the 11th and knew not what was going on until they had run their head into it. The officers of the 11th knew of the movement in time to get away if they had not been so stupid or drink. A man I know, Barton Works of Waterford was one of the videtts, saw the movements of the rebels (there were any number of others that saw the movement, but I give his name because he is a man of truth and good judgement) and told the officer in command. He sent him to the man, told the officers in immediate command to fall back, but they did not, as their stacked arms will well attest. Works waited awhile and saw how the thing was going, and concluded it was best to leave and did so, and is now safe in camp.
