Camp in Riflepits Near Petersburg Va
July 9th 1864
Miss Sarah Maggie Blackburn
Dear friend your very interesting letter of July 2nd Reached me this morning and I
wil try & answer it ............. though I have ................. I got the
other day and I got one from you then too and answered it and this makes
the second one I am writing before answering there I nevertheless it
makes me but little difference if it was four we are in the front line
of Rifle Pits toward Petersburg there is considerable fighting or firing
on both sides we must not show our heads above the Earth works for fear
of being picked off by some of there sharp shooters though many of our
men stand up and take Deliberate above the pits at the johnies as we
call them I have done so my self there is great deal of Cannonading
going on day & knight causing us to have to lay pretty close to the
ground Sometimes to save our heads we have not had any man hurt for
some time with all those firing at us sometimes the boys set down to
drink coffee and a Solid?? shot or shell will come along and knock Dirt
& sand all over things and ruin their coffee I was pretty dusted
yesterday by a shell striking the Bank nearby but no one was hurt I hope
a trust that I may get safe though if it should happen to be my unlucky
lot to get wounded and they dont give it to me to hard I will try to come
North most assuredly as soon as I could as to our Company being cut up
& only seven left is more correct ..... 42 for duty where we had in the
spring 130 men 133 officers & all in all it makes me shed tears when I
see so many of my comrades missing & know there sufferings though some
were killed dead and suffering hardly at all.
You wanted to know in your other letter about Richard Mowery I can not
tell his where abouts on the March from White House up to Cold
Harbour on the 1st of June him and George W. Adams stopped in the woods
to rest and I guess were like the rest of us was pretty tired & the
slipped .......... quite likely were picked up by the Reb
guerillas we cant tell though what became of them only we judge that was
about what it was my health is still getting some better and I hope &
trust these few lines may find you enjoying the best of health I guess
the report of the 184th Regt Pa Vols being taken Prisoners is about
correct from all I can learn about matters though I hope it may not be
correct I must now close hoping to hear from you soon Please excuse
bad writing & spelling & direct your letters as usual I Remain very
Affectionately your Friend
Moses R. Garretson
[Moses' sickness continued and he was first taken to Baltimore and later to Philadelphia, from
where brother Edwin brought him to Iowa in October. He died eight days later at the age of 22.
Sarah was 16 years old at the time these letters were written. The following February, she
married Chance Feathers]
Previous
Contents Page/Search
Next 