Henry A. Smith to Family
Primary tabs
I received two letters from you yester- day one dated March 30th the other April 6th
and was glad to hear from you. We left Harpers Ferry the next day after I wrote to
join General Bankss Division the road was level all the way and we had a good march
when we were going through Charlestown a little negro boy steped out of a door and
sang out hurrah for Jeff We marched about three days and arrived at Strasburgh and
camped about 5 days then started for Woodstock when we had got about 2 miles a
Sergeant rode up to Major Colins who was a few feet from me and said Major your
Colonel is shot the Major rode as fast as he could
for the Surgeon then
rode back where the Colonel was and he was dead. He had sent his bugler of and sent
his Orderly for the Adjutant then rode down to the river and hitched his horse shot
himself just before the Adjutant arrived the Adjutant heard the report of the Pistol
and ran down to the river and found him lying partly in the water hs revolver side of
him. he breathed about ten min utes after he fell I saw him about 2 hours after as he
was brought up to Woodstock in the Hospital wa gon the ball went in to the centre of
his forehead the Chaplain made a prayer the next day and his body was sent home to
New York he was a very nice man and a good Colonel though very strange appearing he
was supposed to be insane We stoped at Woodstock
four days then went to
Edenburgh and camped there one week then Bankss Divi sion commenced to move ahead
Company B and D of our Cavalry ahead some Michigan Cavalry was ahead at first and
were ord ered to Charge on the flying rebels before them but they would not then the
order was given for them to clear the road for the Vermont Cavalry and away they went
led by Lieut Colonel Kellogg yelling so loud they could be heard for two miles they
were ordered to Charge one half mile but they would not stop on they went about three
miles as fast as their horses could carry them Ashbys rebel Cavalry and rebel
batteries before them they killed three took two prisoners one Lieutenant two
horses and came very near taking Col Ashby Co B had one man wounded they
drove the rebels a fiew miles beyond this place New market where we area now camped
in a hard rain I had to leave my box to Annapolis empty I put a good deal of my stuff
into another box with the other boys but it has not been sent on yet I have got 4
four newspapers that you sent me I dont know whether you sent any more or not you had
not better send any more for I may not get them we expect every day to be paid of
some of the Companies have been paid I guess you will have to get an order of the
States treasurer and send it on for me or the Captain to sign that is the way you
will have to do to draw my Government pay or my State pay