William Digby Smith, 14th C.V.I., October 29, 1864

William Digby Smith, 14th C.V.I., October 29, 1864

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Sources

United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 14th (1862-1865)

Siege of Petersburg (Virginia : 1864-1865)

William Smith writes to his wife about losses the brigade has suffered, a charge his company had made, and watching men die.

1864-10-29

Camp Near petersburg 29th-1864
My Dear wife I received your last
letter Dated 22nd and was glad to
hear you and the children was all
well as this laves me at present thank
god Dear wife we have had quit
a brush sinse I last rote to you
we have had 15 wounded 2 killed 1
officer killed and capt Broach
wounded or rather magor broach
All we had wounded in hour company
was 2 hiram fox and james hase
A sub Dear wife it twas a hard
time Dear wife we had to charge
the johneys breast works through a River
some of us was up to the middle in
water and half our hard tack
was wet but we drove them but
the charged again and we mowed
them down I cannot tell mutch
Abbout how the rest of the core
got allong but we killed 3
[page 2]
or 4 to there one but we had to lave
At 1 oclock thursday morning you
will see in the papers Abbout
it you folks home can tell more
Abbout the fighting than we can
for all we can tell is in our
own brigade the say the lost 200 in
the brigade Dear wife gorge he
is sending home a piece of the ribs
telegraph wire that we cut
off when we made the charge there
was a telegraph office on the
hill so we fellows put for it
with a hell so I will send a piece
of it home I have got plenty of
Rebel Relicks to send but donth think
mutch abbout sending them for I have
seen fellows getting sand and sending
it home in a letter
Dear wife I will send willie a flag
that I got before we got to Pettersburg
it tis one of our own flags Dear
Wife but I toock it out of a rebs
[page 3]
house Dear wife I do not think mutch
of the Style of our poor wounded
Soldgers yesterday there was a nise
young fellow lay dead or dying the
poor fellow lay with his arms folded
he said it tis cold it tis cold it
tis cold the poor fellow I have seen
plenty of men heads and Bodeys
mangled to to pieces but that poor
fellow I all most could cry but
It tis all in Soldgering Dear wife
you mentioned in your letter abbout
mr browell telling father that I mig-
ht not have Sent my money but
I have Sent it it tis lost but if it
tis gone So it goes if I can get allong
for the next 9 months and a few
Days then it twill be all right
Dear wife I received a letter from
tom fling you can tell him that
I will answer him when I get to
a stopping place again I donth
know but the will keep marching
[page 4]
Around for a spell know
I am badered just
know it tis pretty cold know I think we
will have a hard time of it know but
it tis keep up good courage but it tis
hard George and himan is all right you
mentioned in your last letter that
you did not get a letter from me
for 4 weeks but I have send you 3 letters
Sinse pay day you can tell Ellen P Smith
that I will rite her a letter pretty soon and
Margret Kinead Kincade to you know
how it tis with me abbout riting I would
rather work 2 days than right a letter
Dear wife I must draw to a close
give my love to father and family
Mr hubbard and family David
John and family tom fling and
family So good boy Dear wife
No more at present from
your loving husbannd W D Smith
Kiss the Children for me
good boy

ALS