| | 1 | Author: | Bitner Collection: Kindig, William | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Letter to Henry A. Bitner  | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bitnerletters | Henry Bitner letters | Bitner collection | Letters written to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Description: | I have poor facilities for wri ting, but must do the
best I can. You will therefore excuse this roughly gotten up thing. I was ever
so glad to hear from you and read your interesting let-
ter, moreover that you were successful in getting the same old school
to teach again. I hope your reputa tion in this
profession is now established. I want you to keep me posted in school affairs,
for although I am now a military man, I still take great interest in education- al subjects. I suppose you've heard of
our battle. Our brigade however was not engaged, still we performed some
exploits of which I must tell you. Banks whole corps
fought them all Saturday afternoon, and were relieved by
McDow ells
corps in the evening after the infantry fighting was over the rebels as
usual poured in upon Banks in overpow ering
numbers, and why our (McDowell's) corps was not
ordered up in time I cannot tell. The rebels were retreating however when
Banks
men were ordered to halt because he had not men enough to follow up what
other wise would have proved a glorious victory.
The papers will give you the particulars better than I can state them here.
When we neared the battlefield late in the evening we met lots of our own
wounded returning to Culpepper, where, our Chaplain
told us the citizens treated them very kindly, the women assisting in dressing
their wounds. We had been listening to the roar of artillery and could see the
smoke of the battle all P.M. of Saturday, from our camp 1 mile south of
the battle
Culpepper
, and when we saw the wounded, we felt like taking revenge. When we came
within a mile and a half
of the battle ground, our brigade was
halted; our regiment received its mail here, and we fell to reading letters by
can dlelight; this drew the fire of a rebel
battery, and some half dozen solid shot fell right in among us, wounding
four men of our regiment. One ball fell about three yards from where I
stood, we stood this like heroes for a short time, then we were ordered back a
short distance, but advanced again til we came within
300 yards of the same battery which was firing upon us, and which with several
others, had opened out again with the purpose of ascertaining our position
as well as of the rest of the large number of McDowell's corps which had silently advance under cover of the dark, but
they fired far above our heads, and we lay listening to the loud and
crashing roar of the dogs of war in perfect safety. present- ly the battery belonging to our (Duryee's) brigade let loose upon the one which fired into the 107th and silenced it. This de-
railed their whole programme, and we could hear
them falling back although in good order. Next morning we found two
dismounted guns, 9 dead horses, and two Lieuts.
killed, one having his head shot off. If we had not did this, they would
have continued to kill us, while their infantry would have advanced, and perhaps
have proved too strong for us then, as our main force only came in the next
day. We have been watching the enemy ever since, yesterday they commenced
retreating on account of Burnside getting in their
rear, The reason we have not advanced upon them
since our whole army is here is because they occupied a strong position on a
high knoll. Abe got a letter from Pap which says 9
men from
Corrstown
, including Bro. Harry
have enlisted in Reeds Co.
Chambersburg. Bully for them. Its uncommonly warm
here now. Soldiers live on secesh roasting cans. Cant get my picture taken now, No artist here. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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