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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: John H. Morgan
Head Quarters Co M
Detachment 2nd Mich Cav.
In Camp at Munfordsville Ky.
Dec 27th 1862
Dear Father & Mother
It is with pleasure
that I attempt to write to you once more
although I have some very bad news to
relate. I am well and so is the rest of the
Boys as far as I know. I will commence my
story and do the best I can. well our Battallion
left Castillian Springs or Gallatin either place
it does not make much difference we were as
near one as the other. we started from there on
the morning of the 23
rd of Dec, for this place
(Munfordville) about 80 miles well our first days
march was not very long only about 20 miles
well we were mounted and on our way the
next morning by four oclock raining like the
old scratch you see we wanted to make the
trip as quick as we possible could because we
new that Old Morgan was not a great ways
from us and our command under Captain
Dickey actting Major at this present time,
had not over fire rounds of amunition and
we new if we fell in with Morgan he would
trap the whole of us. we started the second
morning Calculating to make as far as Glasgow
that day some 35 miles well we went banging
along all day long expecting evry moment
to be attacted by some reble force. Leck Darrow
Bert Spaulding & myself were in the advance
guard but we would fall out and pick up
a horse or two evry little while along the road.
well we got along first rate and got almost
to Glasgow and was preparing to stop there over
night Lieutenant sent Wint & six men off
after a load of corn to bring in after we
got there expecting all this time we were agoing
to stay there that night as nice as you please,
but I tell you we were grandly mistaken for
Morgans men had got there about five minutes
ahead of us well you see we marched right
along into town we saw lots of men there
standing in the streets dressed in our unif-
orm supposing of course they were our men
and in fact we got right in among them
they supposing we were morgans men and we
thinking they were our men because they had
on our cloths we would ask who do you belong
to we would tell them & then we asked who
they belonged to & they say Morgan. the ladies
cheering for Morgan all the time thinking
we were his me well as soon as we found
out what we had got into our onley thing was
to get out the best way we could. well then
our company started to go through the place
and they went through to firing all the time we had
a smart little fight I tell you. it was dark
as the devil and the onley way we could pick
the enemy out or they us was by asking who
we belonged to well we got through that night
without a very heavy loss we marched on to
this place that same night double quick some
25 miles our horses not having a mouthful
to eat all day and night & traveling 60 miles
besides. Company C. lost 13 men taken prisnors
Company L & H lost several taken prisnors &
Captain Schuyler was take but he got away
lossing his horse & saddle. Company M our company
lost one killed & four prisnors Leck Darrow
was taken but he got away from them again
all they got from him was his revolver he
got in last night in the night he walked
all the way here. he was pretty near used up
there was two bullets holes in his coat one
of them went through his suspender it was
a close call for Leck. Captain Wells of company L
was taken prisnor all this was on Christmas eve,
well I am getting pretty tired but I have not
got through yet by a long shot oh, yes, we had
to burn one of our wargons& the whell run off the tings in it
it was Co H. well we got in to this place finely just at
day break we then went to work and set out
tent and burried our dead man hopeing we
would get one nights rest but no they must
call us up at two OClock to go out some
8 miles with two days rations to guard a bridge
we had not been out there only about two
hours before the pickets were cut off and the
rebles came charging on to our little squad
of cavalry & one company of Infantry the infantry
were in a sort of a garrison but the rebs had
two pieces of Artillery & soon gave them
[ ? ] well they drove our boys clrear into
town. capturing a good many the damn
rascals burned the bridge and torn up
the rail road before any reinforcements came
and he Old Morgan was gone before any got there the
Kentucky Cavalry might of came & helped us
if they were not such cowards. there we was we
had shot out all of our amunition and were
compelled to run into town some 8 miles
the rebles close on to us firing evry jump
our horses giving out and falling into the
rebles hands & men to. we lost a good many
men I think nearly all of the Infantry.
I can not tell how many men were taken
from our Battallion Captain Schuyler of Co H was
taken and again and Lieutenant of Co C was taken
besides some of their men. our company lost
Eleven taken prisnors we don’t know as any
of them were shot Lew Waterman & Chancy Hayes
were the onley ones of the Homer Boys that was
taken perhapps it is not worth while for me
to name them all over for you would not know
them if I shoul. we are entirely out of cartriges
for our Rifles now we went up to the 25
th
Michigan Infantry and borrowed 25 muskets to
use in case we should be attacted that was all
they had to spare. I guess I have told all of the news
for this time we are camped closed to the 25
th
the Boys in that Regiment are all well Charley Burt
is fat as a buck. we were going after Leck Darrow
with a flag of truce to day supposing he was dead
we heard he was wounded and had died give my best
respects to all tell them I am all right I believe
the reason I was not taken I was on picket
and the rebles fot in between us and the
head Quarters. the picket there was 10 of us together
we had to work our way into Camp through
the woods and we had a tough time of it
I feel sorry for Lew & chancy. have you got
that money that I sent to you yet fifteen Dollars
if not you will find it at Frincks in Marshall
Mr Waterman will feel very bad on Lews account
wont he. give my love to all write soon.
Charles H. Potter
