Camp On Flat Top Mountain On Line Between
Mercer And Raleigh Counties, May 20, 1862.
Dear Uncle: —
The last three weeks has been a period of great activity with us — severe
marching, sharp fighting, and all sorts of strategy and manoeuvring. I had
command of the advance southward and marched to within ten miles of the
railroad, seventy miles south of this. This was ten days ago. On the morning of
the 10th the enemy attacked us in greatly superior numbers and with artillery.
In obedience to orders we have been falling back ever since. I was much
vexed that we were not reinforced. Perhaps I was wrong. It is now believed that
the enemy, since their reverses in eastern Virginia, have been sending heavy
bodies of troops this way; that our force is wholly inadequate to its task, and
must wait here until largely strengthened. I am not sure about this, but accept
it without much grumbling. As I had command of the advance, I also had command
of the rear-guard during the two most perilous days of the retreat. I am glad
to know that nobody blames me with anything. Perhaps nobody ought to be blamed,
certainly not if the force of the enemy is correctly reported. We have
got off very well, having the best of all the fighting, and losing very little
property in the retreat, and conducting it in good order.
General Cox and staff narrowly escaped capture. My command
had a narrow escape. With any common precautions we should have been captured
or destroyed, but luckily I had mounted pickets two miles further out than
usual and got notice of the trap in time. The total loss of my command up to
yesterday since May 1 inclusive is seven killed, six missing, and thirty-five
wounded. We have killed forty to fifty of the enemy, captured about fifty, and
wounded a large number. We have captured and destroyed many arms, and lived on
the enemy's grub a week. We also took several teams and waggons. We have lost
our tents (except headquarters) and part of our mess furniture.
We shall remain here and hereabouts some time to get
reinforced and to get supplies. We are in telegraphic communication with the
world and only sixty miles from navigation.
Dr. James Webb is now in this brigade, assistant surgeon of
the Twelfth Regiment O. V. I. Dr. Joe is brigade surgeon. We shall enjoy a few
days' rest here. The Twenty-third is a capital set. They always stood up
squarely to the work and enjoyed it. A vast difference between raw troops and
those who have tried it enough to be at home.
Love to all.
Good-bye.
R. B. Hayes.
S. BlRCHARD.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 273-4
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