My dear Pa:-
Since last I wrote you scenes have met my eyes
which were hard indeed to realize. You have heard I suppose
that we were in the fight on Thursday. I cannot give the
details for I have only about five minutes to write and no
place to write except out in the rain with not the first
particle of shelter. The hill not over twenty yards from
where I am no sitting is covered with dead Yankees which
were killed on Thursday. There was one of the most bloody
fights just above us yesterday that has ever taken place on
this continent. We were just below the general fight behind
the breast works with several of the federal cannon pouring
shot shell and cannister down upon us though none of us were
hurt. the number of killed, wounded and missing on our side
is said to be about nine hundred, that of the enemy about
twenty-six hundred. We got them on the retreat yesterday
evening and ran them several miles with the cannon bearing
upon them. They left every particle of their baggage.
Gen. Patterson has been taken prisoner and at
the Junction four of the Warren Blues was killed. I will
write and give the particulars of the fight the first spare
moment. But we have not now time to eat much less write. I
must close. Write soon, ever your affec. son.
R[ichard] B[ayly] B[uck]
Love to Ma and all the children.
Richard Bayly Buck, 1844-1888, of Front Royal, Warren County, Va., was a Corporal in Company B, 17th Virginia Infantry. He served almost until the end of war ; severely wounded at Dinwiddie Court House on March 31st, 1865, by which time he was the 2nd Lt. of the Company.
In the letter above he is referring to the battle of Blackburn's Ford which took place on Thursday, July 18.
MSS 3064
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