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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Fair Oaks, Virginia
Historical Figures: George B. McClellan, Philip Kearny
Head Quarters 5” Regt Mich Inft.
Near James River July 6” 1862.
My Dear Parents
I wrote you a few lines by yesterdays
mail to let you know that I was still among the living
On the 27” of last month we lay encamped near the battle
field of “Fair Oaks” I was taken sick with a little
billions attack caused by the diet and living in a
swamp they carried me in an ambulance to Dr G.
tent about half a mile in the rear, about this time
the right wing of the army had an awful fight and
we were drivin across the Chicihoming and we were cut
off from our supplies at White House, pen can not
describe our feelings, here we were on this peninsula
and likely to be all prisoners or starve, the right
wing commensed retreating for James river on Saturday
and we commensed on Sunday, I got right off
from a sick bed & got into the saddle. we were
obliged to destroy many things. letters were burnt
tents and all kinds of baggage were destroyed +
we commensed slowly falling back to the ford to
crop White Oak Swamp, about 4 o clock I was laying
just in advance of my regt and they commensed
falling back quite fast but in good order, I went to
saddle up any horse and in the excitement he kicked me
on the leg which numbed it for a time so I could not
stand. here was a fix the rear guard were fast coming up
and if I did not go on, in less than an hour I would be
a prisoner, but by the help of one of the boys I mounted and
rode on, just night we crop the swamp and went about a
mile beyond and encaped for the night, next morn was
up at break of day was up + by order of Surgeon Jeniel the
regt, we lay quietly in an orchard to cover the retreat
until 11. o.c. a.m. when the enemy came down upon the
other side of the swamp and opened upon our troops
from their batteries they also came down upon our front
by three roods, we fell back about a mile, and preposed
to give them battle. My little regt, now only numbered 216
fighting men, I soon found Dr. G.S. the ambulances in an
exposed position and rode to them we came down to the
rear of the brigade all was now as quiet as death + we
sat in the woods by the side of the roods all at once a
terrific fire of artillery I musketry broke out close to us, the
bullets came like hail & it was amusing to see no sun
Gunn in getting out of an ambulance came down on
all fours, in going a few roods we came to an open
field + then we put spurs to our horses and ran on
awful fire of shot + shell, we saw garrid a little
ridge. I halted + took a view of the fight than my field
gluss, it was awfully groud, in
[ ? ] then a half mile I could see
the infantry meeting each other hand to hard, and then was
one continued rear of artillery, this continued until darkness
closed the scene we took possescion of a horse for a hospital +
I took the ambulances and went to the battle field. I found
my major badly wounded lying under a tree also many of our
wounded. I run the ambulances until 2. A.M. when the horses
were tiard out then in company with Dr. Morrison of Mich
[ ? ]
we went still farther to look for wounded we came to the
edge of the open field (where our batteries stood) and I saw
lights and groups of men moving over the field looking for +
carrying off wounded all at once I heard a voice say 14”
Virginia this way, the rebels were gathering in their
wounded we turned about and rode to hospital and
got about an hours sleep, at daylight we held a
consultation and concluded to stay & be prisoners of war,
put at this time an orderly came tearing up the rood
with an order for us to leave our hospital at once +
start for James river with our ambulances we put our
officers in took a by road (shook hands with Dr. Clealand
of Mich 2” who volunteered to stay) we had not been
gone ten minutes when the reb, cavalry came up,
about 10. A.M. we reached the James river + a more
welcome sight I never saw our division was three
miles higher up fighting and the artillery could be heard
firing. Dr. G. was here to sick to ride and was put into
an ambulance I went to the river + washed the blood from
my hands and bathed my friend brin, then in camp with Dr.
Morrison of Mich 3” sent up to join the regt again, after a
ride of 3 miles we came to a high bluff on the river + for
miles around we could see all of their mines. the gun boats
were throwing sheel & our large siege guns wind shell
the distant woods and our field batteries + infantry was
pitted against theirs and it made the heavens ring. Gen
McClellan sat near me & for an hour I with my glass
watched the battle. I then went to the front to join my
regt, upon showing our horses a rebel battery opened upon us
raind shot flew like hail & I was forced to retire, it was
an awful sight here went a squad of union soldiers
carrying off a wounded
[ ? ] here walked a rebel
badly wounded, by his side was another a prisoner helping
him to the rear, here lay a gun and
[ ? ] all
[ ? ] to
pieces, I here a squad of men bringing a comrade,
O. God! it was awful about 10 P.M. we
[ ? ] our tiard
horses to a tree made a fire + a little coffee in a pint
cup, and lay down on the ground to sleep, at 12. m. we
were awakened by by the artillery coming down the hill
it was dark as Egypt we mounted + rode up the hill
and found the army in full retreat we joined them
and at daylight found our division + came with them
in the midst of a drenching rain 7 ½ miles to Harrison
Landing the rain still came down in torrents, all were wet to
the skin + a more pitiful lot of human beings I never saw. the
mud was by this time knee deep. I stoped the ambulances as they
cam up + turned them into a field and parked them. I then
roade to the landing found quite a number of townposts ready to
take off wounded came back & got the major & adj of 1” N.Y.
and by dint of cerntain s
[ ? ] in getting them off next
morn (3”) the rebels commenced shelling us & I was forced
to take my ambulance train a go to the bank of the river
my regt at this time only numbered 103 muskets + by
order of Gen Kearney 2”, 8” & 5” Mich were consolidated
into one for fighting purposes. Dr. C. is still sick + has
tendered his resignation. I think it rather doubtful
about its being accepted We are making an effort to be
called home by the Gen, do not think we shall succeed
in doing any thing. Your last letter has just been handed me
and perused with pleasure. A standard came yesterday +
one to day. Our troops captured that rebel battery that
threw shell last and 400 rebs with it. We are fortifying +
things look look like remaining sometime.
I lost my pocket case of instruments on the battle field,
I shall come home just as soon as I can resign +
do so with credit to my self, if Gunn’s resignation is
accepted. I stand a chance of being made full surgeon
but even that is not inducement enough for me to remain +
ruin my health for life. I saw Mich 4” the other day
Col Woodbury was killed some of the Hillsdale Co but none
from the village. One is not sure of their health 24 hours
for it is one constant exposure from beginning to end, I may
not be able to leave until this campaign is thro. but shall
certainly do so then. I am sick and tiard or war don’t think
I was ever designed for a soldier. In my connection with
the enemy have been very fortunate for I have seen evry battle
of any accent since I found the army,
Give my best respects to all, keep up good courage for I
will come home 9if I live) in a few months and will rest
out & feet up + go to work with renewed energy,
I believe I have given you briefly all of the news I can
think of form this past of the country (all of the sick +
wounded that could not walk were taken prisoners. A was
an awful time + I hope never to see another.
I have not yet any stamps so you will have to pay the
postage.
Robert
