3rd Delaware Infantry - Battle Letter

Item LTR-10937

Description

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


Camp on Battlefield near Richmond
June 5, 1864
 
Dear Mother,
 
I seat myself to inform you that I am well and hope these few lines may find you enjoying the same.  Well Mother, I wrote a letter to you about a week ago and told you in it that I expected we would have some fighting to do shortly and I guessed true, for we have been in one pretty sharp engagement and I don’t know but what we may have another this evening.
 
Our losses since we have come front is between 40 and 50 killed and wounded.  There is 5 out of our company, 1 killed.  We have been under fire for one week and I don’t see any other plan but to stay and fight it out.  I came within one of being killed {as the fellow says} yesterday morning.  I was standing alongside of a man talking with him about how our breastworks would stand a shell.  When a shell came whizzing in the woods and a piece went clear through this man killing him instantly.  His name was Tom Dorrell.  Byron knows him well.  
 
The list of wounded is Sergeant Samuel Harrington, the one I told you in the other letter.  This makes twice for him since we come in the front.  Sergeant John D. Wells in the back; Private James H. Fleetwood and J.[John] Solomon. I guess you will get this by the time I get the answer to my other one.  
 
You should write at least once or twice every week as it takes so long for them to come.  Please send me some stamps in your letter and send me a small parcel of paper and envelopes.  You can do them up the same as you would roil up a newspaper.  I can’t get them for love nor money.  I got this from Dave Virtue.
 
The 4^th Delaware is in our Division and in the 3^rd Brigade.  It lays about 40 yards to the rear of us in the second line of breastworks.  We hold the line in the extreme front.  We can see the Rebels at any minute just across the field throwing up their strong lines of breastworks.  I am not the least excited about it nor haven’t been yet.  I try to take everything cool and I want you to dop the same as I will try to take all the care of myself I can.
 
The ball is a going to open I guess for they are commencing to cannonade.  They always commence about half past 4 or 5 o’clock and from that time till dark, you may consider that we are fighting.
 
Give my respects to Mr. Fitten and Sis and to that lady that gave me the pens and Byron, Mrs. Addshead and Emily.  I wrote to Aunt Sarah the other day and I told her to forward it on to you to read.  I don’t know whether she did it or not.  If you get one of the Wilmington papers you can see the account of it in it.  Ask Mr. Boddy to send it to you.
 
The 4^th was engaged too and did not get some of their dead buried yet.  They buried two this morning.  Dr. Brown’s son was one from Wilmington. Sis knows him I guess.
 
I will now close so no more at present from your ever affectionate son.
 
Address: Martin M. Luffman
Company A, 3^rd Regiment Delaware Volunteers in care Colonel William B. Dorrell, 2^nd Brigade, 4^th Division, 5^th Corps, Washington, DC or elsewhere
 
And please write soon
Goodbye