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Regiment: 7th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: George A. Custer, Philip H. Sheridan, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant
Camp near Petersburg, Va.
April 20th, 65
Friend Elon,
I recd. your letter of the 26th & you may bet I was glad to hear from
you & to hear that Rube was once more out of the hands of the Rebs. He
was in luck to get out alive. I was expecting everyday to hear bad news
from him but I hope now he has got home he will come around alright.
Well we have had pretty rough times since we left the valley but we
were in at the death of the beast rebellion. Yes, Little Phil Sheridan was
the man that pulled the string of the sack & bagged Lee & his Grand Army
of Northern Va. He is the biggest little man I ever saw & Custer is next to
him. He commands the Corps. now. He captured 36 battle flags on the
retreat of Lee’s Army, on the raid he captured 26, which makes 62 flags.
The little curly has captured since the campaign opened besides artillery &
trains too numerous to mention. After we joined the left of Grant’s lines
we had fighting for 10 days in succession & we never got drove but once.
Picket’s Division did run our Div, of Cav. one day about 5 miles but Phil
got his back up & captured nearly his whole Div. the next day. The army
of the Potomac told us we would find harder fighting here than we did in
the valley but after Phil once got them started they melted like snow in
June. The Virginians would not leave the state & deserted by 100. The
nation has met with a great loss by the death of the President. The men
here feel as though they had lost a Father. I hope Johnson will make as
good a President as Lincoln did. I believe that he was an honest man
if there ever was one,
Well Elon I can’t think of much to write today. I have written so
little of late that I am out of practice. We are in camp about 4 miles from
Petersburg. I am going to the city today if I can get a pass.
Give my regards to all the boys & if you hear anything more from
Rube, please let me know. Write as often as convenient & I will try to
answer your letters in a poor way. Excuse all mistakes & remember me as
your friend,
Irvin Wellman
Co. (G) 7th Mich. Cav.
Washington, D.C.
To Elon Spink Sergt.
Co (G) 160 Regt. N.Y.S.V.
Army of the Shenandoah Va.
