Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/foreman-james-a/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Charles Cornwallis, George B. McClellan, George Washington, Jefferson Davis, Joseph E. Johnston
Headquarters Camp Near Yorktown V.A.
Fifth Reg’t Michigan Volunteers, Comp D
April 17th 1862
My Dear
Why is it that I have not heard
from you lately are you sick or anything
verry bad happened to you or paul +
our little girl. the last that I heard
was from Lib announceing that Paul
was verry sick. Why have you not
told me how you bothe were getting
along it has caused me a great many
uneasy moments and then again I
received a short letter from Alma
announceing that Father was not
expected to live and since then no one
has written me a word how he is. thus
you will see that I have received all
the bad news with nothing good
I do not presume he gave you particulars
of our istuation here. is it not a little
singular that we should be here in
the same old spot where the last great
Battle of our old revolution was faught
but what a grand difference in the armies
then Cornwallis only had four thousand
effective men and Washington but six
teen thousand. now the rebels are strongly
fortified from the York to the James
Rivers a distance of over eight miles
with a hundred thousand men and
five hundred pieces of the heaviest artillery
to drive them from this strong position we
have a force of 150,000 men six or seven
hundred pieces of light artillery and
one hundred large seigh guns rifled
and eighty mortars throwing ten inch
shells Jeff Davis and Johnston are
in command of the rebels. George as we
all Call McClellen commands in person
it is supposed by all that it will
be the hardest Battle ever fought on
the American continent. we have it
from the best authority that it will be
the last battle of the war. would it not
be a singular coincidence should it be
so yesterday our whole regiment was
out on fatique duty building a new
road for military purposes last night
there was fifteen thousand men engaged
on the same road while our there we
saw some of the old rifle pits that
were used and built by Cornwallis’s
men there had large tries grown up
on them. we have got so used to
shot and shells that we hardly think
about them when they are flying over
our heads or among us although a
man or two is killed almost every
day we cannot tell when the general
canonding will commence but likely the
first of the week. but I guess you
will not care about all this for you
verry likely get more in the papers than
I could tell you in a week
evening
Dollie I delayed finishing my letter this morning
thinking perhaps I should get a letter from you
to day but was sadly disappointed have I told
you that our encampment was in the woods so it is
it is a quiet warm pleasant moonlight evening
the boys are setting around in groups some
singing some writing others telling some verry
big yarns all seeming to enjoy themselves as well
as if at home there the boys have just commenced
to sing
do they miss me at home, again there
was the report of two heavy cannon. with the
[ ? ]
whistling of the shell on its errand of destruction
how changing how exciting everything is here.
a life that I used to think would suit me
but now it would be home. wife and
children wonder if I shall ever see them again
things does look a little dark just at this
time but I believe I had a destiny to fulfill
and should I fall here it will have been
accomplished but can I die without
seeing you again that I love so much I think
not. but Gods will be done ever time Jim
