Letter 16

Letter 16

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives

Leonidas Bryant to John Bryant,

Leonidas Bryant

Selvage Collection, Southern Appalachian Archives, Mars Hill University

Southern Appalachian Archives, Liston B. Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies, Mars Hill University

1863-02-07

This image may be viewed, downloaded, and printed for personal and educational use, but any commercial use is prohibited without permission from the Southern Appalachian Archives, Mars Hill University. Questions may be directed to the Archivist at (828) 689-1262 or archives@mhu.edu

9 7/8 x 7 5/8

Annapolis M.D. Feb 7th 1863
Dear Father i am well and getting along very well [missing words] knew clothes I have disposed of my lovely clothes that I have had on since christmas i will tell you as near a i can here i [?] taking prisoner [?] brigade [?] at Murfreesboro [nesday?] coming they was heavy fighting all along the since we was ordered on the extreme right a mile or two from any other troop to cut [p.2] off Wheeler's cavalry we did not see any of them about dark we started to form our division we got in about half a mile of the line when [person?] ordered us to halt we lay there till morning when Gen Johnson ordered us to fall on all of this time the rebel was driving back the fifth and sixth brigade our regiment and the first Ohio formed [p.3] a line of battel along a fence the 93 ohio was in reserve of our regiment and the Louisville legions in reserve of the [1st] Ohio we had just got formed when the grape and shell came in to us like thunder we was ordered to lay down on came the rebels across the open field not minding our fire no more than iff we had not been there they was to strong for us we was ordered [p.4] to retreat then ordered back to the fence the rebels drove the first Ohio back but they retreated in good order facing about as fast as they could load and let drive then we fell back on the line with the first ohio we got mixed up with the 93. OH then it was every man for himself they was about twenty of us behind a cottin gin when they rebel cavalry and infantry came charging on us to escape was [imposibel?] so we threw our guns down and was marched to town they [all?] [no__?] 20 out four regiment Milton Cork out of our company the rest is out of the other company. Write soon L. Bryant 15th company 4th battalion Camp Parole M.d. 1863
-Samuel Storms of Co. A is here he was wounded in the shoulder he is about well.
L.B

Letter