Henry A. Smith to Family
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I received Mothers letter and Franks in due time but have not had time to answer them
We left Culpeper Court House about the 5th on a scout to Orange Court House after a
march of a day and a half The advance guard were fired on our men returned the fire
and followed them up to the town where the fifth NY Cav were sent out as flankers
while our regiment kept skirmishing with them to draw their attention. when the
flanker had got around our regt drove them into the Town where a sharp fight took
place The rebels numbering about 75 were Charging on some other Companies when our
Company and one other of Carbi nes gave them a volley and turned them
The
rebels had about the same number of men that we did there were but two Companies on
the other side of them so they could not hold them all 17 of them were killed as many
more wounded and 52 taken Prisoners our men lost two killed eight or ten wounded and
four Prisoners we then fell back 12 miles and camped for the night. the next day we
started for Rapidan Station not finding any thing there we pushed on toward Madison
to which we arrived after a days march and got three days rations and started toward
Gordon sville to go on picket guard went about 7 miles and had to stand on most all
night the next morning part of our Company went down to the 10 mile post from G and
found some rebel Pickets they retre ated and so did we then we heard that we were cut
off from Culpeper
and that they were fighting there so we had a forced
march way up around Woodville two days and one night The night before we went through
Woodville troops were passing through there all night this told told the story what
was going on in Culpeper Jackson had pitched into Banks with a Force numbering
between 50 & 60000 while ours was only 10000 but got reinfor ced just in time to
save being cut to pieces the battle was a very hard one 700 of our men are reported
to have been killed woun ded and missing Aug 15 Culpeper is a larger place than
Woodstock Vt and is one vast Hospital the Battle was on Saturday and Sunday. Gen Pope
was there and took Command the enemy had a great deal of Cavalry our men had only 2
regiments they
cut up our Infantry very bad once they charged on Pope and
his staff and came near taking him the fight was not renewed but our forces are
following up Jackson he on the retreat our regt in advance deployed as Skirmishers we
are now about 9 miles from Culpeper had a skirmish with their rear guard Tuesday a
battery put four shells among them and scattered them it is reported that Burnside is
engaging Jackson I must send this letter now for the mail man has come I shall write
again as soon as I can
fromHenry A Smith