Chapter 3
Letters to Home
Dear Mama, May 19, 1863
I have been meaning to write, but there has been a hive of activity here. This is the first free moment that I have had to write you. I am sorry I have not written before. The measures to move out have given me no time.
Mama, I can not tell you where we are going, but I can tell you we are going north. I am both excited and scared. I am excited to see a new place but scared I will not return. All I can ask of you, Mama, is to have you and the church pray for my safe return. Give Maggie and Rose a kiss and a hug for Max from me. Tell Pa I will make him proud.
All My Love,
James
Dear Mama, June 18, 1863
I have been transferred to General Longstreet. We will be moving out tomorrow to head north. I can not tell you much, but I look forward to seeing the Pennsylvania countryside. Pray for me on my journey.
All my love,
James
Dear Mama, June 25, 1863
I am doing ok. I crossed the Potomac River yesterday. I never thought that I would see it. It is much bigger than I thought it would be. My unit crossed at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. We will be heading further north. A great battle will come in the next few days to weeks ahead. Please pray for me. I have a mysterious and foreboding feeling about it.
All My Love,
James
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Day Two
July 2nd, 1863
South
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As my unit and I made our way up North. There were rumors about why it was taking so long to arrive up north. General Longstreet never conferred on denied a reason when asked. It feels like we have been walking forever. I hope Mother has gotten my letters. I do not want her to worry too much. We arrive to wear the rest of the Army of Virginia in the southern part of Pennsylvania. It makes no sense to me why we are moving past Washington, D.C. There must be a good reason. I know it is a higher-up decision, but it feels stupid. It is late at night or early morning when we finally stop moving. We are told to rest while General Longstreet rides to where General Lee has his headquarters. The commander of our unit, General Anderson, was talking to General Pickett. Say that he hopes General Lee will wage war in a defensive battle. Lee was rumored to have a battle fever after the recent victory at Chancellorsville. After that win, General Lee's ego was thrown through the roof. He insisted on attacking the numerically superior Army of the Potomac.
I have this feeling in my bones, a profound warning gut feeling that tragedy and doom were in my future. General Longstreet returned, not all that happy. Only to find out we were a day late for the battle. Now we have to play catch up and not on the apparent win. Even I can tell from here that the yanks have the higher ground. General Anderson soon gets orders to move south next to the peach orchard. North of us is General Pickett's units. We arrive in position and wait. The wait goes on for what feels like an hour. It may have I do not have a way of knowing. I know that the sun has moved quite a distance since we arrived. It has to be around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. The first signs that the battle had begun were the sound of musket e fire and the sound of screams. It was coming further north of us—a genuinely terrifying sound.
I do not believe I will ever forget the day I die. We were directed to only go into action when General Longstreet Corps had processed so far into the assault as we were on his right flank. From what I could hear, Longstreet's men could smash through the Yankee lines. A rider approached General Anderson with what could only be ordered from General Longstreet. I have no idea what is happening in one minute, and we are moving. The next, we are just standing among the peach trees. Out of the underbrush comes the Union.
Pop!
POP…
POP…
Boom!
"Hell has come," yelled Jack over the artillery noise, which was no more than 3 feet from my left. We run to get to cover the best way we can. It does not last long as we are pushed back. As I run a trip and land on my side. I turn to see what tripped me, only to see the face of Jack looking at me. His face was contorted in pain, frozen that way, even in death. Out of sheer will, I force myself to get up. Because if I didn't, I would most likely end up like Jake, dead and far from home.
I run as fast as possible until I am out of Peach Orchid. I follow my remaining unit to regroup with General Longstreet`s divisions. After finally getting to General Longstreet. We were told to join Lt. General A. P. Hills' corps. The attack, by this point, was stalled as General Anderson's advancement was pushed back. We were forced back again and again. By allowing them to stay, we failed to get the Federals off Cemetery Ridge and Cemetery Hill. The Federals had more time to dig in than they had the previous day. By night's fall, everyone's spirit around me was not as upbeat as it had been this morning. We were anticipating an easy battle. But I guess that is what we get for being oven confident from the recent victory against the Union. I hope tomorrow will be a better day.