August 25, 1864
There has been more
fighting to-day. Hancock, at Reams' station, was destroying the railroad
(Weldon) and holding a position, also, for defence, having two of his divisions
of infantry, besides Gregg's cavalry. The Rebels sent down a large force to
drive him off. They began attacking say about one o'clock and were severely
repulsed, till evening; but the last news is, that they made a desperate
attempt on all sides and broke through a part of our right, just at nightfall.
Hancock hoped to retake the part of the line lost, with the reinforcements
coming up; but we have not yet heard the result. I feel rather anxious, though
I don't fear for Hancock's safety; but I like to see him fully successful. Oh,
bah! Captain Miller is just in (this is eleven o'clock at night). Hancock has
lost eight guns — among them, I am told, Sleeper's battery. Poor Sleeper was
here this afternoon, wounded in the arm. It is too much all one way in this
business, it really is! I don't like to complain, because it troubles you, but
it must break out occasionally. I get so mad and so bothered. For, when we have
no good chance, or almost none, when our best undertakings fall through, I lose
confidence in each move, and, when I hear the cannon, I look for nothing but
our men coming back and a beggarly report of loss of prisoners. It is not right
to feel so, but I can't help it. When a man gets knocked down every time, he
expects to go down the next. Well, well, well, I feel already a little better
at this grumbling. I must be a sorry eel if I am not yet used to this sort of
skinning. I like to see General Meade. I think these contretemps rather
rouse and wind him up; he doesn't seem to be depressed by that sort of thing;
perhaps three years of it have made it necessary to his life, just as some
persons enjoy a daily portion of arsenic.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 224-5
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