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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp 8th Mich. I.
Before Petersburg
Saturdfay, noon March 25th 1865
Dear Father
An engagement of 3 ½ hours
duration terminated at 8 o’clock a.m.
I have been over the battle field + have just
returned to camp + will try to write a hasty
letter for I have to go on picket this
p.m. This Regt. was not in it.
the 2
nd Brigade of this Div. + the entire 3
rd
Div (new troops) done the fighting.
I have been in 9 engagements but I
can say I never saw a battle before
I saw this battle, saw the troops in
deadly conflict, saw the 3
rd Div charge
on the enemy when they were in posession
of over ½ mile of our works. Saw them
retake fort Steadman + drive the Sech
enemy like a flock of sheep back to
their works. I watched with painful
anxiety the conflict from the elevated
position where our camp is located
our troops were surprised + fort Stead-
man (the 2
nd fort to our right) taken with
no resistance. It was full ½ hour after
the first attack was made before the firing
was more than ordinary picket firing
The attack was principally on the 2
nd Brigade
The 3
rd Div which lays to the year
is composed mostly of new troops (new
Regts for one year) but they done good fight
ing. We came very near being in it
We saw the enemy 120 rods distant on
our flank. Our works would have done
us no good had the enemy ghot as far
around as our camp
I saw 3 lines of battle charge the rebs
soon the smoke would hide them from our
view the musketry and artillery was almost
deafening. We know all was well for
we saw none going to the rear except
captured Rebs under escort
about 7 oclock the battle raged the most
then the enemy gave way. I saw them
running without
[ ? ] back to their works
our batteries pouring in grape + canister
I will give no estimate of prisoners
but I saw full 500 in one party
including 11 commissioned officers
The enemy’s force must have been heavy
for I had a good view of them
on their retreat they being compelled
to go the shortest way they could
+ could not follow the ravines
down which they advanced.
We must have lost some as prisoners
but they had 3 men killed to our
one. I visited the battle ground as soon
as it became quiet.
During the engagement our camp
underwent a severe shelling
Many tents were torn but we all
the works but expected every moment
to be called on to charge the enemy
on our flank. Had the enemy advanced
a short distance farther this Regt
would have been in the fight for our camp
would have then been tenantless + we
would have had to have fought in de
fense of Fort Morton. Fort Haskell (80
rods to our right) repulsed the enemy
line of Abatis (a-ba-tee) but did not reach
the 2
nd line. The fort was then flanked + the
inside kept them at bay till the 3
rd Div
I saw more of our men dead than in all
the rest of the battle field
This was the nearest fighting to us
I wrote to you yesterday, also to
Wealthy. I cannot write again to
Wealthy till I come off picket
Our boys feel merry over the result
It is a victory for us + if it dis-
heartens the enemy as much as it
encourages us it is a great victory
This is writen in great haste
Had I time I might have writen
a better account of the fight
No more this time
Your Affectionate Son
Elbridge
J. Franklin
