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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Near Yorktown May 2nd 1863
My Own Mary.
Last night
at nine oclock as I came in from
picket. another of your loved mes-
sages was awaiting my
[ ? ].
That with cold water and hard
“tac.” made me a good supper and
I slept soundly- too soundly for
dreams- upon it. Whether it is hard
work or the excitement consequent
upon shooting men. or some other
cause I am unable to say, but
I take notice I never slept better
in my life. Yesterday I slept at
least one half of the day, upon my
post. not fifty rods from the
Rebel fort. and last night after
dark, built another of our little
forts about ten rods nearer than
any other works. and in the open
field so that with out Rifles we
sweep seven embrasures for the
enemys guns and a long range of
rifle pits and breast works. You
may have seen in sense of the
papers a drawing of where the Vt.
Third charged upon the Rebel entrench
ments. if you have you will notice a
bog, and dam called “Warwich bog”
on the opposite side and just at
the end of the dam is a Rebel
Battery. higher up several others.
On our side you will see an apple
orchard, with
[ ? ] chimneys. (all
that remains of a once to the eye-
pleasant home) partly to the right
and rear. Still farther to the right
and almost to the waters edge
is the position of “my fort.” at
the end of our side of the
dam before many days we shall
[ ? ] another “Battery.” The infant
ry call us reckleas and fool hardy.
but we are not the best marks man
that ever handled a Rifle can not
hit one of us at the distance of
two hundred yards if we can see
the flash. but two shots was fired
at me yesterday. and they were not
close enough to frighten much.
My whiskers upon the sides of
my face I cut off some time ago.
leaving my mustache on and
chin covered. the boys say I look
better. “more like a man.” of
course that must be so. Whether
it will make any difference
with a musket ball. I can have
no opinion about the matters.
There are quite a number
of the boys here that were acquainted
with Carrie Carl. the only fault
they find with her is that she
was rather soft. Joy be with her.
George B is “they say”
fort getting ready for the seige of
Yorktown to open in earnest. he
has got some 200 pounder Passett
guns here and is getting them into
position. New Orleans they say is
ours. I hope it is true. Ere another
month is past I hope Yorktown
and Memphis will be in the same
list. I wish I had a place where
I could write one letter without
sitting on the ground and taking
the paper on a board upon my
knee. Good Bye.
A Kiss. Gardner
[On Envelope:]
Miss Mary J. Baxter
Grand Rapids
(Box 450)
Michigan
