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Regiment: 17th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Philip H. Sheridan, Robert E. Lee
9th Corps
Head Quarters 1st Div
Before Petersburg Verginia
March 30th 1863
Dear parents & Friends
Well this is a very rainy day
Andrew & I are all right yet.
The rebels succeeded in surpris
ing our boys the other morning
Saturday 25, they broke our
lines. I see the papers gives
a prity correct account of it
only some accounts say we cap
tured only three or fore stans
of colers, there was 8 or 11 I
dont know exactly the exact
number. The 17
th destingusshed
it self a gane, there was a whole
brigade of rebels came down
on them, our boys were behind
some old works. the 17 drove
them back with terrible slaugh
-ter with only the loss of one
man killed. Last night Andrew
& I took a walk up the rail-
road comeing back about 9 oclock
we went to bed I thought that
I would have one nights rest
I just got to sleep when there
was orders to fall M. We snatched
our rifles and was in lines in
some less than no time as we
expected an attact, the Capt
said there was two spes in camp
we were orderd to surch all
around the difference camps &
arrest eny one we came accrost
that was out of his place all at
once we saw a rocket go up
it had not struck the ground
before the air was full of mor
-ters it was a splended sight
at the same time the musketry
opened all along the lines of
the 1
st Division
We ran to our posts as quick
as we could. There was awfull
canonadeing the musketry
was heavy until midnight
when it slowly died away
then it comenced to rain
heard and is still a raining
it is a bout two oclock in the
after noon now, I dont know
whether the rebels charged or
not I hardly think they did
only at fort hell they might
of charged I think rebels
fiered from there works, our
regt was sent to the river
to keep them from throwing
pontoon down and crossing
at that place. I think Lee
wanted to draw some of
our force from the
left. the yanks are to thick
for
[ ? ] soot him at that place
we have five corps of infty
there and about 1 corps of cavalry
I think the ninth corps will
stay here and hold the works
while they go in on the left
the 2nd, 5th 6th 25th 24th corps
and shirdans cavalry is down
on the left. we could here them
fighting yesterday. they are
at it I should think by the
artilry fireing now. it rains
so I can here as there is
eny musketry. There is a big
move on foot now. let the
Robels try us at eny time they
will find us ready. the fort
that they Johnies took our regt
poot three lines of abatis in
front besids a lot of brush
let them try it a gane they will
get tangled in the brush come
I think. the regt poot them up
in the night under a heavy
picket fireing. they were very
carfull and no one was hurt
I think we get all the letters you
write Andrew & I received a letter from
Thaddeus the other day. I think by the appear-
ance of things they are a going to leave the 9
th
Corps here to hold the lines. I dont think our loss last night
was over 20
men
From your son and brother Robert Fleming
