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Regiment: 6th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ; Williamsport, Maryland
Historical Figures: James E. B. Stuart
New Berlin, Maryland July 16
th/63
Dear Father & Mother
Make no
doubt but your anxiety for me will
be very great having no chance to write
to you and if I had I dont know how
I should have got them mail I mail
one more than a week ago but am un
=able to say how far it went for
there as been so much trouble along
the railroads that mail trains could
not proceed. I have written three
letters since we left Virginia in
fact I have embraced every opportunity
to inform you of my whereabouts you
have undoubtedly heard of the great work
that we have accomplish with our Cavalry
our Cavalry is doing some thing now
if they never did before it is nearly
a month since we started and we have
not rested more than one whole
day in the time and some times
we would be in the saddle all night
but I am glad to say that by the
merciful power of Almighty God I
am among those that have escape
the many missiles that the enemy
having beening showering on us more
or less for the past two weeks for
we have ben in a battle or a skirmish
Every other day since we had the
fight at Hanover and in some
of them we have had some pretty
hot work the fight at Boonsboro a
week ago was a sharp fight it was
a Cavalry fight on both sides Gen Stewart
comanding the enemy they commenced
shelling one another about nine oclock
in the morning and we was laying
on the other side of the town we was
order out and we was dismounted
and sent out as skirmishers the enemy
had the best position we could see
there Battery perfectly pain they shell
us pretty servely all morning and
they discovered the advantage they had
our skirmishers gave way on the left
so that we all fell back in to a piece
of woods and there we lay for some time
watching them and firing occonaly by
the middle of the afternoon they drove
us out of the woods they was giving
way on the right they began to fear
that we was whip but we took a position
under cover of a fence and we met
them with volley after volley and our
batterys played on them pretty lively
and in about an hour they began
to ralley and our boys jump the fence
and we chase them they would turn and
fire and then run and we chased
so that they moved there battery and
>run for their life we chase them untill we
was tired out if we had but had
fresh men we could have captured there
battery we did not lose many on our
side and the Rebels carried most of
their wounded of I heard that Gen
Stewart said that he did not want
to fight them Mich boys if he could
help it for they would not give up
from there we went to Hagerstown
I forgot to mention the engagement
that we had at Hagerstown and
Williamsport previous to the Boonsboro
fight this was on the 6
th our
Cavalry charge on the Rebs and drove
them out of the town and our Reg
and some others move to the left which
is Williamsport and there the Rebel train
was we came in sight of them they began
to throw shell in good earnest one strik=
ing close by me and killing our ajuant
Jewett not more than ten feet from me
some of the pieces striking my Horse
and self lightly not to hurt either
of us our Horses began to releaze there
danger for horses were falling every sides
of by the enemy shells but we escape
we went of to the right and
dismounted as skirmishers and
we were engage about an hour when
the order was to fall back and rally
on our Horses and we discovered that
our forces that had been left at Hagers=
town had been repulsed and the Rebels was
shelling in front and rear so that
our chance for retreating was rather
slim but our dashing commander
Kilpatrick made out to get us out
in good order and without much
loss our light Cavalry kept chargeing
on them and keeping them back
until we could reach our Horses which
they had move home way for safety
and we was about tired out before we
reach our Horses it was about sundown
we march of and camp beside the
road untill morning and then we march
to Boonsborrow on Friday we stated again
see 4 page
for Hagerstown we stood Picket thursday
and on Sunday we advance on Hagerstown
charging on them we took 100 prisoners
and drove them out of the town there
was not much firing done on either
side for that see that they could
not make there escape gave themselves
up there was some skirmishing on the
left of the town we was kept back at
a reserve went out on Picket that night
stood Picket all the next day and
Tuesday early we had marching orders
and we started a heavy force of Cavalry
how many I am unable to say our
Reg started from Hagerstown and we
march towards Williamsport and half
way between Hagerstown and Williamsport
they had thrown up breast works they
had deserted through the night and
the way they had scratch gravel was
not slow and we went on the keen
jump our advance began to pick up
there stragglers and so it was all the
way to Williamsport and throughout<
we dash hard up to the Horses knees
the roads was all cut up by there retreat
we kept marching on and Capturing
prisoners some of our Horses was about
to give out but we kept urging them
on finally we came in sight of some
breast works and and a division, men
standing on the works we advance
and when we got close enough they
open fire and we had to run our Horses
to get by them so as to make a stand
we had one man in our Company was
wounded in the Hand some others was
wounded while passing to the left
through an open field we made a
stand and Co B. and Co F charge
on the breast works Captain Weber leading
the charge the Rebes 200 of them hurried
and stacks there arms and just as
quick as they got close they sprung to
there arms and fired into them and
they cut them pretty bad Captain Weber
was kill and quite a number of his
the Lieut in Co F was shot 4 times
in the leg so that amputation was
necessary but we drove them our Reg
was in the first that attacked them and
we was reinforced we drove them most< to the Potomac untill they began to shell us from the other side and then we was order back we took 1500 prisners and the kill and wounded together I never saw such sights and I pray God I may never again but I cant give you the ful details. I glad to say that we have just got some mail the second time since we left Virginia I got five I have just read yours of the 5>
th of July and
was sorry to hear of the poor health of the Family
I care not one cent what Tom Long as
said about me I consider him beneath my
notice or my Copperhead were he my Bro
I must close by saying that the Rebels
are mostly all across the river and we
are on our way back to Virginina at least
I susspect we pass within 2 miles of Harpers
ferry
the report is that we are going in to camp to
recruit up and have need of it for we all wore
out and our clothes are most all rags we had not
time wash a shirt wear one two weeks and throw
it and bought one in order to have one to put on that
was clean
please to tell Bakers folks that William is well
and not hurt as yet I have not heard much
from the wounded some that was taken prisners
are paroled I heard to day that Cap Thompson
was doing well My health his pretty good though
I am very nearly worn out being on the go and getting
much rest My love to you all and I shall write
again if we should go in to camp I think the Cavalry
as done there towards driving the traitors from the
Northern soil if you can make out to read it I shall
be satisfied from your loving Son W. G. Whitworth
P.S. I receive a paper from you to day do please to write and tell me what me what
you heard about me and you will oblige me
