Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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I am going to write you only a short letter this P.M. as I have been marching all
of the A.M. and am somewhat tiard but as it has been a long time since I have
had a chance to write I will try and write a few lines for I know that you must
be getting anxious about me. Well I am well as usual except being a little foot
sore on account of long and hard marches in the rain and mud and I find that the
rest of the boys are the same only some are much worse than I but we are all
willing to march our legs off up to our knees if we can only destroy Gen Lee's
army and finish
the good work already commenced and still going on.
The day we marched to Gettysburg we marched thirty five miles and carried our
knapsacks and after that we were taken on to the field and lay in line of battle
all night where we all supposed the hardest fighting would be but the rebels did
not see fit to try us at all as they had tryed us often enough so we were not in
the fight to any extent. We came on to the field the 2nd at night and remained
there untill the 5th when we found that the rebels were retreating and they
started our Corps in pursuit We came up with their rear guard that night at
about 5 oclock and had a scurmish with them but their position was such and
their force so large that our Gen did not think proper
to attack
them there so we waited for them to fall back which they did during the next day
and then we left one brigade to look after them and the rest of Vt us
came on and arrived here about noon to day. Last night we camped near the 2nd
Vt. Brigade and I went over and see all of the boys and had a good time. The
13th started for home this morning. I saw a few of the boys this morning and I
am glad that they are going home safe I sent a bundle of letters home by Alf.
Olmstead which I want you to lay away with those I left when there as
I wrote a few lines to Nathan this P.M. We have had no mail for a long time nor
any chance to write or send one if we did write The next time I write I will
tell you more and I will write
as soon as I get a chance. Write soon
and often. I will not try to tell any thing about war matters this time as I
only wrote to let you know that I was all right etc.. from your aff Brother
Lyman S. Williams