The Civil War Letters Suffolk, Virginia February 2, 1863

Suffolk Va Feb 2d 1863

i received your very kind letter last thursday and i was very glad to hear that you was well and that Lizzie was well again  i would have wrote sooner if i could have had time  we received 4 months pay on thursday night and about 11 oclock on thursday night we was orderd to saddle up and go and attack the Rebels who was in force at a place near the Deserted house on the Blackwater Road  we had 4 Rigements infantry 14 pieces of Artillery and the 11th Pennsylvania cavalry

General Corcoran was in command of our force  General Pryor commanded the Rebels. about 3 oclock on Friday morning we drove in the Rebel Pickets  killed there captain and two of there men  about 1/2 mile further the Rebel artillery opened fire on us  our Artillery was brought up and began to play the Rebels

had three Batterys masked in the woods  18 pieces of Artillery was what they had in action   i suppose the Rebes had about 1,000 men ingaged in the Battle

we fought from 3 oclock until 8 oclock in the morning when we ceased fireing and we advanced on them in line of Battle to charge  but the Rebes Retreated about 1 mile in the pines when they again opened fire on us  after one hour fight they again fell back

our ammunition now gave out so we had to waite about 3 hours for more ammunition  at 12 oclock we again advanced and succeed in driving the Rebels about six miles when they made another stand at this place  we gave them fits  we halted for one hour and then cooked some supper  and after that we started for Suffolk  we had about 60 horses killed and i suppose we had 100 men killed and wounded  Corporal Hart of my company was killed and 3 of our men was wounded  our company was rather luckey for the way the shot and shell flew about out heads  made one think of home and the world to come

we arrived in camp about 11 oclock pretty tired  i do not know how many the Rebs lost in killed but i think they have lost considerable for we Burried 1 captain 1 major and a lot there men  i tell you it was a sad sight to see the men laying about the field  some with there arms Blown of  some without heads and some without legs  war is horrable in Realaty

Yuesterday morning i was orderd to take 12 men and go to Cypress Chapel on the Edton Road  Your Brother William was with me  i arrived safe back last night

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