16th Michigan Infantry - Twice Wounded

Item LTR-9298

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 2 pages, written in period ink. Worden was wounded at Malvern Hill and
Wilderness, VA.


Camp near New Bridge, Virginia

June 11th 1862

Dear Cousin Eva,

I received your kind letter yesterday and was good to hear from you. Of course, Father gave his consent or I would not enlist. He took me to Ogden Station and there I took the cars for Detroit. I did not have time to see Uncle Mix but started for Washington the same night. I had a long ride to that place. The first time that I ever rode on the cars. I did hear (or see rather) that Henry ws wounded. But had not heard from him till I received your letter. Wesley was here today and he had a letter from him. He has joined his regiment near White Oak Swamp, Virginia. He was in the reserve in that fight at M. Springs.

Wesley is encamped ½ mile north of here. We have visited together considerably. I did not see Henry but twice before Yorktown was evacuated. The day before it was evacuated, he and I went to see Wesley. Wesley is well but has been unwell for some time back. We had a letter from home last week. They were all well. Helen has been sick with the inflammation on the lungs but was well enough to write to us.

I like soldiering as well as I thought I would. I have not been sick but a very little. Anson is tough and lazy as myself. I asked him what he thought about writing to you and he says, Oh I don’t know. His answer always. He was in the fight at Hanover Court House. He left the regiment and fell in with the 2nd Maine but escaped uninjured. But I was taken for hospital guard. I was there one day and night and there I saw some bloody sights. I saw one man that had his tongue shot off. I saw the doctors amputate 4 men’s legs and some more that he dressed that looked bad. There was 101 wounded at that house. They were sent off that night and I joined my regiment. The next day we came here to this camp. We went out Sunday morning (no Sunday for soldiers) to work on the roads and did not get in camp until yesterday. The roads are very bad just after a rain. Teams get stuck every day. Wagons tip over and everything else you can think of.

Give my best respects to Uncle and Aunt and write soon to your cousin.

Alvin B. Worden

Direct to Stockton’s Michigan Infantry
Company B
A. B. Worden

Paper is scarce in the army. A. B. W.