Lyman S. Willams to Lois L. Williams
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I received your letter day before yesterday and hasten to answer it. The plan I have
adopted in writing home is this whenever I have the opportunity to write I do so
whether I have received a letter from home since I have written or not so in that
matter I write many more than I receive I am well as usual and stood the fatigue of
our retreat much better than I expected when we started. Within the last two weeks I
have been in two engagements and our camp has been shelled twice yet
I
have escaped thus far without a scratch yet the musket balls and shells have passed
thick and fast on all sides of us some skirting so near as to throw dirt all over me
yet I did not feel any fear for I had other thoughts to occupy my mind at those
times. Well we are now here on the east bank of the James River ready to fight the
rebels at any time they see fit to attack us. Our camp is situated in a cornfield on
the bluff of the James in a very pleasant place The corn stalks stand as high as my
head in many places. Strawberries are past and gone, blueberries and blackberries are
getting ripe
and whenever we get the opportunity we feast ourselves on
such delicacies also apple sauce and the like Our retreat was constructed in the best
of order and Jeff Davis is reported to have said that another such victory would ruin
his army. They acknowledge a loss of sixty thousand men in killed, wounded, and
missing while our loss is estimated at fifteen thousand Mr R. B. Mellen died the 28th
of June of Typhoid Fever at the hospital Corp. Henry T. Moseley was wounded the night
of the fight at Savage Station and left behind with the rest of the wounded who were
not able to march with their regiment. he will probably receive good care
and be released as soon as he is able. All the wounded bore their suffering with
heroic fortitude Last night we were reviewed by President Abe. Lincoln in person and
thus had a very good opportunity of seeing him. His portrates are nearly perfect. I
have not much to write that will interest you so I will close. Write often and oblige
your
Aff. Brother L. S. Williams