Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/langworthy-andrew-j/
Regiment: 2nd Wisconsin Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Blackburn’s Ford, Virginia
Historical Figures:
Near Manassus Junction
July 19th 1861
My dear Mollie
Your good letter was recd
before I left camp Rek, but press of business
and our sudden departure prevented my ansring
before now, and even how i am sheltered by
a blanket from the
[ ? ]tting sun in an
open field. Sweating like a butcher, writing on
my knee, so that I do not expect it will
be done quite as well as you would do it
we left Camp Peck on Tuesday morning
lost travelled ten miles to Vienna with provis
ions for 3 days on our backs. found the enemy
had scampered before we got there. the
next day went to Fairfax Court House
but they were too
[ ? ] fur us then and
had taken to their huts, on Thursday we
marched to Centreville and found they had
Evacuated their fortifications before our ar
rival. In this afternoon however the 12th
New York regiment while I cooling about two
miles beyond our Camp suddenly came up
a marked battery of 26 guns, which opened
fire on them. We were immediately sent for and
upon our arrival were halted in the direct line
of fire so that the balls made dreadful music
about our ears for an hour or so when the
enemy were
[ ? ] with great loss the partic
ulars of which I have not as yet as certained.
The 2d Wisonsin were highly complimented for
standing their ground so well but not being in
sight the most of the balls went over our
heads and made sad havoc among the trees.
Three from filling in Co B of La Crosse were
wounded. One named Gardner had his leg badly
shattered by a rifled cannon shot and died
this morning. One was shot in the ancle and
the other was somewhat injured in the face.
I cannot say that I fill the least fear
through the entire action, indeed my entire
thoughts were with my men whom i feared
might get injured through the caveless manner
in which they fired their guns. After the ac
tion we advanced two miles farther in toward
the junction where we encamped and remain
to day, for scouts to look ahead of us. There
are now 60,000 to 70,000 men here and hear
here so that we shall make
[ ? ] work of
incipion when we fairly got to work at three
It would amuse you very much to see how
we live. Every thing is cooked in sheet-iron
kettles. This morning we made a kittle of coffee
afterward I used the Iame kittle for frying
some pork. Afterward for frying beef and probably
this evening if will be used for making coffee
again maybe without washing. As we left
Camp Peck on a forced march we took no
cooking utensils with us except our five
large kittles. We get plenty of onions which
you know suits me well. Although the inhab-
itants flu on our approach leaving houses
lands and vegetables at our mercy. The country
is very poor. Although we find fat cattle, sheep
+ Chickens which we take for our use +
[ ? ]
Andrew was at Camp Peck when we left and told
me he would write you. I want you should
write me again soon as I write so uncomfortably
I will close, love to mother and the rest of the
family. I will Your affectionate father
write mother next opportunity
A.J. Langworthy
