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Regiment: 22nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
January the 4th 1862 Beaufort South Carolina
Deare Wife
I now take me pen in hand to inform you that I am well at presant and I hope that thies few Iinse will find you the same this is the forth letter that I hav ritten to you the first that I rote to you I sent the 11 of November and I enclosed 15 Dollars in it fore you and I want you to rite and let me know weather you hav received it or not yet The laster letter that l recieved was Dated the 24 of October that was the one that Ann rote fore you and I and Wash received our letter Booth at one time since then I hav not herd from you Deare wife we had a fine New Years we was cald on to lay on our arms the last day of the yeare to advance on the Reabolds and erose the river so we did not sleepe that nigt and we seene the old yeare out and then New on in We took up our March about 2 oclock in the morning We recht the river about 4 and then comenced crosing the river about 3 miles above the fery and when we reacht the channell we was supported by the gunboats We was in flat Bots that carid from 100 to 50 and 75 men in each Boat and we had to row then by han about 6 miles Before we could land our troops the 79th New Yorke Regament was with us and the Pensylvania 50th Regament and Bound heads Regament crost the fery wen we was landed the gunboats opend fier on the reables ceept them Back in the woods and then we comenced our March up fore the fery and we was doubleld quick it over three miles untill we goot with in half a mile of the fery and then we was halted a spell and then the generald gave orders to advance on untill the reabalds opend fier on our regament with two peases of artilery and comneced throwing shells rite a mungst us we was about 80 rods from them thay was in the woods under cover of the wood so we could not se them then The Geneald gave orders to advance on them we March rite in front of the cannon in advance skirmishers
5 pases a part untill we goot with in 40 Rods of them then Reables opend fier on us with thare muskets and then old Misigan gave them a voley in return and then another one The Sugars was in the Pine woods So we could not se them fare The Generald gave orders for us to retreat that order was givan in hopese to draw them out of the woods Thay Knowd Better than to come out in the openg fiel and fite like men and then the generald orders the gun Boats to pen fier on them again wile we lay under thare cover then the shells flew untill Darke thay Mowd Thunder out of them about 8 ockock they sent in a fagatruce and wanted 10 hours to bery thare dead and geet thare wounded The generald told them that he would give them one hour to take care ofthare and and wounded and ifthay want thru he would the ground thay stood on We lost 3 kild and 6 wouded our meager was wounded thru the thy But he will geet well this Battle is cald the Batie of Cowsaw River George W is well and he stood up like a man in the Battle The boys is all left here yet for another Battel sevannia is taken to our regiment Dun all the fiting in this Battle that hare was dun Infentry we got the Prase of the Generald our left wing coved the retreat a crost the river and our Companey was or is in the left wing Deare Wife and lillte abby I would like to se you Booth But I must hope on and wer untill I return to you again Give My respects to Walter and Wife to and to Jacob Shook and all the rest No more at Presant we hav warm weather here yet so that we can sleep out Dorse With out any thing But our over coats ar adue rite soon and direct youre leter to Beaufort , South Carolina
From your Hus and well wisher
W Painter
