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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
New Madrid Mo.
March 14th 1862
Dear Father & Mother
having a few
moments to spare this evening
I will try and write a few
lines to you. but I feel
more like going to bed
than any thing else.
We are now camped about 2
miles from a place called
New Madrid which was held by
the secesh yesterday but now
the stars & stripes are floating
over her
[ ? ] we got
[ ? ]
on the 5
th day of this month
had a pretty tough time
traveling I tell you,
the boys are all well & in good spirits
some of our boys have been
out a scouting most evry day
since we came here day before
yesterday we went out & one
of our company shot a rebel
& fetched in his gun. one day
it was the next day after
we got here we went out & the
secesh throwed their bomb shells
around us thick & fast.
our troops planted their
guns within one mile of their
fort night before last and
yesterday morning they opened
fire on them they were fight-
ing all day untill sun down
last night, not a great many
killed on either sided, there
was one cannon ball that
shot the right leg off of three
of our men at one clipp that
was rather hard. I stood or
rather slept untill 12 OC at night
last night in the wood within
twenty rods of our battery for
the purpose of carrying dispa-
tches from our guns to the
Generals & it rained buck shot
I tell you if it dident thunder and
lightening why then I wont try
to tell. we lay all night expecting
to be attached but this morning
when we got up the stars and
stripes were floating over New
Madrid the secesh evacuated
their fort & the village leaving
some 24 cannon and all their
tents & evry thing they had we
sank one of their gun boats
I saw a secesh buried this
morning. the devilish fools
left in such a hurry they
couldent burry their dead
they left an awful site of
propperty we trove them off
with only four Cannon.
they are a darned set of
cowards they are afraid to fight
give my best respects to all
who enquire. Mother need not
be alarmed at all on my
account because I am all right
and calculate to keep so. if
the secesh give up as easy as
these have we will soon be
home I hope so any way
it is roll call now and I
must close my letter this time
give my love to all & Direct
your letter Cairo Illinois &
it will come right here
I should have writen before but
it takes a good while for a
letter to get started I cant
tell when this will go
I havent seen a sick day since
we left Benton Barrack
Good Bye
Write Soon C.H. Potter
C C H P
