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Regiment: 7th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: George B. McClellan
Fair Oak Station Va
Thursday, June 5, 1862
Dear Father
I have a little time and will let you know a little more about the action. I have been over the battlefield and its awful to look at. Casey’s Division was surprised and there is heaps of dead horses and dead men all through the camp and commissary stores been destroyed. The woods are lined with muskets and cartridge boxes and the trees are all shot to pieces. Casey’s Division lost most all their artillery and was all cut to pieces and was driven back in disorder. Couch’s Division came next and they done a little better but the enemy drove them back into a large open field and Heintzelman and kearney’s corps came up and formed on the left but still the enemy pressed hard on the right and left and centre. We went pretty near a mile on double quick through mud and water and didn’t we get some bully old cheers when they saw us coming. In fifteen minutes more the day would have been lost. The way our brass batteries walked in wasn’t slow and we formed under a falling fire from the enemy in a short time and we was doing the dirty work and Gorman’s and Burn’s brigade walked in the right and we on the left. There was then regt’s from Mississippi under Whiting in the field trying to turn our left and we come on them so suddenly and unlooked for that we routed them a company of them sharpshooters Meigs Wold, Mr. Arnolds
[ ? ] was shot through the mouth but will get well. Lieut. Shafter was wounded in the hip while acting Ajutant James Hawkes was guarding the ammunition train and would not be with us when we were firing the fastest. Our guns got so hot that we could hardly hold on them. We stayed in line of battle all night where the mud was three inches deep and about 30 rods from where the enemy was carrying off their dead. There was lots of them. They had lanterns and was around looking for their dead and wounded and our officers would not let us fire on them. They had wagons back further hauling off their dead and wounded. It’s only six miles from Richmond & a man at these times would think that he belonged to the
[ ? ] lay around. The cars have just come up and brought our knapsacks. For a week we have been with nothing but our oil clothes and we have middling tough times but it ain’t going to last long. Gen. McClellan published an address to his army says one more victory is all he asks of us. We have away 8,500 wounded besides lots that are here yet to be interred. You ought to see the woods in front of our batteries how the trees and underbrush is all cut down with grape, canister, and shells. Some of the boys belonging to the third regt. Have been up here today. They lost lots of officer. There is hundreds of dead men and horses and the woods a short distance ahead of us between our pickets and the enemy they smell so that we can hardly stay camped. The enemy did not use much cannon. The other day lots of citizens come down on the cars from the city to see the Yankeys whipped but they had the satisfaction of seeing lots of dead and wounded rebels which must
[ ? ] them. I must close for the present. Goodbye. Write soon. I shan’t have a chance to write very often. From your son, Cyril H. Tyler
