Henry, Josiah E. (b. 1840) to Parents
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02749.002 Author/Creator: Henry, Josiah E. (b. 1840) Place Written: Yorktown, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 2 May 1862 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm. Order a Copy
Writes that he is well and that the weather is pleasant, sometimes it rains and sometimes it is warm. They were on picket duty yesterday. The day before yesterday, a man from their Company was wounded; he was shot in the calf. He is the third man to be wounded in their Company. Writes that in Company A, the 2nd Regiment had three killed by the rebel sharpshooters and the 6th Regiment had three men wounded. Does not think he will write again till after the Siege of Yorktown (5 April, 1862 - 4 May, 1862). They were called up a few nights ago at midnight to vote as to whether they want their pay now or wait until after the siege; they are due four months of pay. They were "called up three times that night and stood in line of battle about an hour each time the rain pouring down in torrents." Writes that it was so dark that they could not see their own hands before them. It was some satisfaction to know that the rebels got the worst of it. The rebels went out to spike the Union Cavalry's guns, but it was so dark that they ran around and came back to where their support was left. However, the rebels thought it was Union support so they fired into the support.
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