8th New York Light Artillery

Item LTR-9802

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


Hd Qtrs Detachment 8th Indpt N.Y. Btry
Camp near Great Bridge Virginia
May 9th 1864

Dear Brother

Your welcome letter of May 3rd came to hand tonight. Glad to hear from you again. I must confess I have been very long in writing to you, but when you know where we have been for the last two weeks you will not wonder that I have not written before.

You will see by this that we are no longer at Yorktown. We left Gloucester Point on the 22nd of last month and went to Williamsburg and encamped near the old battle ground of May 5th 1862. We remained there until the 29th when we again got orders to march immediately to Fort Monroe. We packed up and left camp about four o’clock in the afternoon and got to Yorktown about eleven o’clock that night, where we halted, got supper, and fed our horses and again started on our march about one o’clock the morning of the 30th. Kept on a steady march until seven A.M. when we again stopped, got breakfast, fed our horses and again started for Fort Monroe. Passed by the battlefield of Great Bethel which was the first battle fought on the Peninsula. Also passed through the village of Hampton which was burned by General Magruder shortly after McClellans forces landed on the Peninsula.

We arrived at Fort Monroe by three o’clock P.M. having marched over forty miles in less than twenty hours, which is called very fast marching. We received orders at Fort Monroe to embark and report at Portsmouth, which is in sight of Fort Monroe across the bay a distance of about fifteen miles. We arrived at Portsmouth before sunset, disembarked marched outside the city and encamped. We remained in camp over Sunday. Monday orders came that the right section of our battery should report immediately to the cavalry brigade which was about three miles from our camp and was preparing for a raid. The brigade consisted of the 3rd N.Y. Cavalry (which is the regiment to which William Gordan belongs, but I did not see him) the 11th PA and one or two other regiments. At the same time, we the left section, got orders to report immediately to Norfolk which is just across the river from Portsmouth. We left camp about four o’clock P.M. the right section of our battery and we for Norfolk. So you see our battery was pretty well split up. We embarked on the ferry and got to Norfolk about dusk. The night was dark and very rainy but we had to march about eight miles from Norfolk and report to Col Lord of the 20th N.Y. Cavalry who has command of this part of the country. We arrived at his headquarters by one o’clock and encamped for the night or rather until day light when we again started for this place and arrived here by eight o’clock in the morning.

We were sent here to guard what is called the Great Bridge which crosses a canal and runs from Portsmouth to Elisabeth City in North Carolina. We are only about twenty miles from the line of North Carolina. There is but a small force here and I think we will be likely to remain here some time.


The right section which went with the cavalry started on a raid on the 5th but we have not heard from them yet. It was said they were going into North Carolina to tear up railroads, but their destination was not known. They will no doubt be heard of soon and may see hard times.

The other section of the battery is still lying at Portsmouth, so you see that our company is now in three separate parts, each section being under the command of a lieutenant. There is a report that Capt Fitch is to be Chief of Artillery for this part of the country but whether true or not, I don’t know.

I am acting Orderly Sergeant for this section and as the Lieutenant in command is at present sick, I am kept very busy. But thank God, I am enjoying my usual good health which is one of the greatest blessings man can enjoy. Hoping soon, to hear from you again.

I remain yours
H. S. Murray