Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
Primary tabs
Yours No. 6 came to hand in due time and was gladly received by me as usual. Now
I will try and answer it and give you a short history of the proceedings for the
last few days. Last Friday morning we were quietly laying in our old Camp near
White Oak Church and expected to stay there for a while at least but a little
after noon we were ordered to pack up and fall in and in a very few moments we
were on our way for the river where we arrived about 5 P.M. and before dark the
most of our brigade were across the River about one and a half miles below the
City of Fredericksburg
where we have crossed twice before. The 5th
Vt and the 26th N.J. were the first to cross the River They crossed in boats and
toock the rifle pits and 96 prisoners with very little loss to themselves. That
ended the fight for the night after dark the rest of our brigade crossed on the
pontoon bridge. Our Regt crossed as soon as dark and lay in reserve all night
and the next morning we went to the front and relieved the 26th on the scurmish
line and shortly after day light the rebels advanced on us the whole length of
our line with more than double our number and attacked us but we held our ground
and compelled the rebels to fall back out of range of our rifles. We lost in our
Regt thirteen wounded and four
killed. Our company lost one killed
and two wounded. The man that was killed was the 1st man on my right and the man
on my left was wounded in the arm and the bulletts flew thick and fast all
around us Lia Emerson Austin, H. T Moseley C. Wickware and myself
were together after the other two were wounded and we did the best we could to
avenge the loss of our comrads I fired thirty three times and toock good ame at
the rebels every time and some of the time they were not twenty rods from me.
The other boys fired about forty times apiece and I am pretty shure that some of
the rebs will have cause to remember us for sometime to come at least they have
not seen fit to attack our line again since
We remained on the
scurmish line untill dark when we were relieved by the Third Regt and we went
back and supported a battery untill Sunday night when our Division was releaved
by the 3rd Division and we came back to this side of the river where we now are
and what the next move will be I do not know nor how soon. I think that Gen
Hooker does not intend to attack them in force here at present but to amuse the
rebels and keep their force here while he opperates in some other place. Time
will tell however-
I received your letter Saturday night after we were releaved also one from Nathan. he is well. The Essex boys are all well as usual. Write soon With love to all I will close
From your brother Lyman S. Williams