Head Quarters 2nd BrigadeCamp Near Harrison Landing VaJuly 19, 1862From Samuel Morey
To Lieut W.W. Henry

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Dear Friend In which I hope that I may have the pleasure in calling you by that name Sir it has been never my good luck to corspond with many of those of whom I should been glad too but sir by the wish of your humble Servent William Bruidnell I shall improve a few moments in writing to one who always felt a deep intrest in the welfare and happiness of Company D. I suppose sir by this time you have learend the full account of the six days desperate fighting near Richmond. I have [seeing] so many things during the time that by trying to give you a full acount of what was going on in our Division and in others it would be a task that I am not capable of doing and [] it would be a perfect falure in me to describe the Scenes and horrors of the Battle field. by making my words as short as posable I will give you a few extracts of the bloody conflict on Thursday the 26th the enemy commenced a attack on the right Near Mechanicville about 2 oclock thus keeping a terrific fire of artillery and musketery untill nine that night. during this time our men drove them causing a frightful slaughter among the foe early next morning the contest was renued by Porter Mead and Sloukem Divisions the enemy coming on with over pouring numbers but still our brave Soldiers keep them in check untill about

four oclock they commenced falling back gradually towards the Chickhommey bringing thier left under cover of our heavy guns that were on this side towards Richmond. her is where the Rebs undertook to capture what forces and what artillery we had on that side of the creek for thier hellish undertaken we opend on them with our big sege guns from this side cross fireing them and at the same time Porter and Sloukem engageing them with musketery and artillery in which caused terror in thier ranks for they had to give away in great confusion but this did not settle the bloody conflict for that day. for they soon opend on the same side that we were on with about 20 pieces of artillery while we were doing good servise for our Brothers on the other side this caused quite a Stir among all Quarters for we did not expect them so soon altho the boys stood under arms all day the general was eating Supper at the time they opend fire on Division the shot and shell droped like hail among all the tents and killing a sentanel in front of the Generals Quarters at the same time the Brigade marched by regiment each one finding a place of shelter from the enemys batteries while our artillery was doing good service but finding that they could not do anything to bad for thier unholy cause thy commenced on our picket with musketery to drive our boys from those misly constructed earth work in which they had Built the night before this soon started the Brigade on dubble quick to the picket line when Lewis Dodge got wounded in the hip and Perry slitly wounded her when the rebs made three atemps to drive our boys from the rifle pits but each time failed that night all our troops crossed the Chickhommey and were falling back gradually towards Savage Station for the enemy were turing our right so fast that on friday Saturday morning

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the whole army commenced falling back but still keep up a heavy firing when about five oclock in the afternoon the enemy commenced another hubbub on our Brigade or in other words a [] dash trying to out flank us, when our boys opened with musketery and at the same time advancing and driving the enemy this is where terance roddy got wounded while skirmishing a ball struck him in the sole of the foot while taking quick steps back to the company Thurston and Clupp was wounded in the arms all slightly the General was wounded about the knee while cheering on the boys for they had drove the enemy before them and took some prisnors this is when our Brigade lost the most by trying to keep the enemy back from the station which was only half a mile in the rear of us. all night our boys keep marching towards white oak swamp and at the same time action as rear Guard they arrived thir early next morning and stacked arms some making coffee and others went to sleep for many of them were tired by troughing up earth work to coverd their retreat this place our boys intended to give them a warm reception when about three oclock to their supprise the enemy opend with a terrible fire of artilllery 30 peaces or more on our Division while half of them were a sleep. everything seems demoralised and sised with a panic for about five minutes when they soon recovered doing good service. the enemys fire of shell and grape was at first so staggering that the boys could not form nor our artillery men could not bring their batteries into service. Capt Mott lost all his guns in the first part of the engagement but afterwards re- covered them I think he lost most all his horses and gunners and a few limber boxes and one gun that he could not carry with him this engagement lasted until dusk keeping our owen in spite of the enemy but still falling back towards the James river they was heavy firing of musketry and artillery on our left the next day but nothing

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of any importance in our Division their arriving on the Banks of the James river on wensday eavening mud knee deep the rain pouring from the heavens I assure you that you can well imagine the feeling of the poor soldiers worn out by long march and weary days of labor. Hart Moody was detailed to help some wounded soldiers to the hospital about the 27 but had not returned to his company since then the last one that saw him was me. he then was two miles beyond Savage station laying near a big tree I suppose he stayed untill the Rebels came along for he would rather be with them than his Company I will say nothing more about him but I do pitty him if he should return to company D Corpl. Turner is all right he was with the Balloon Near General McLellans headquarters the boys all like Capt Johnson he dose all that a man can do for the boys Col Whiting is [] as general while Brooks is gone on a leave of absence to Washington the old fellow was pretty hard on the boys after they arrived her but lately he is growing better the boys in our company all feel in good spirit thir has two died since we left Yorktown one dodge, a brother to the one that is wounded and Andrew Hill those two died in front of Richmond we are now encamped one mile from the James river on a beautiful plantation when we first came her about one hundred acres of corn and well cultivated but now everything look in ruins you cannot see a stalk of corn as big as your finger everything has gone only a meeting house the weather has been very warm for the last three weeks but yesterday and to day is qu ite plesant

I must close by sending all my old acquaintance my best wishes not forgetting yourself

I am Sir your &c &cWilliam Bruidnell and Samuel Morey