Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
Primary tabs
We have been on the move so much lately I have not had much opportunity to write
We started for this place last Friday this is Sunday. Smiths Division is the
advance We took a place called Youngs Mills Friday, one of the strongest
fortifications I ever saw. The enemy withdrew without much of any fight They had
already taken off their cannons when we got there Saturday we advanced to this
places & opened with our skirmishers & artillery about noon kept it up
until near night The Enemy have a line of Forts across the penisula
fr James to York River, 6 miles very strong & a large army inside In front
of their Forts is a marshy creek almost impassible we have discovered no place
as yet we can cross We are within a thousand yards of their nearest (a shell
just burst over my head) fort, but in the edge of a wood. Genl Smith is
perfectly astonished at the good conduct of he men altho, he says he had great
confidence in them. The infantry I think would go anywhere A limber of a battery
filled with Ammunition was struck by a rebel shell & the tow in which it was
packed set on fire when the men seized each a bucked of water. & put it out.
Probably in another instant 40 loaded shells would have exploded
If
the men hold out as they have begun it will be hard to drive them, the roads
here are impassable - mud to the hubs of the wheels so we have to build a road
all the way. The whole country is but a vast swamp. If we can turn them here we
expect nothing else so strong this side of Richmond This creek between us &
the Forts is said to be 100 feet wide and 20 deep. Gen Smith is a trump. I never
saw a man more cool or one display more ability. He is at the front all the
time. I think he is too fearless he has no tents, Everything is pretty ruff. The
General seems to have a good deal of confidence in me
I am with him
all the time except when sent on errands my health is excellent but I hate the
whistle of these shells. I will write soon as we take this infernal place. I
suppose yr Father understands that he must not publish any of these facts. I
shall be glad when this thing is over & I am at home again. You can write
& direct the to Washington as before.
Your devoted husbandW.G. Veazey.