1861 July 25 Washingtn D. C.

Dear parents,

I suppose you are anxious to hear from
me by this time In a few days after I wrote to you
last we were ordered to get ready to march Sunday July
21st at 3 O clock in the morning we started at the
time appointed, with a large force I do not know how
many there were. About 8 O clock we began to hear the
cannons roar and our leader ordered us into double quick
march and kept it up more or less all the way to the scene
of action we arrived there about noon but about one third
of our brigade were tired out and fell out of the ranks
before we reached the field of battle the battle was
fought at a place called bulls run well protected by
masked batteries our troop carried 3 or 4 of their batterries
and was making good progress in the fight and the rebels
had begun to retreet towards Mannassas junction when
our brigade found themselves in the front alone and our
men runing in all directions our brigade still stood fireing
loading and fireing as fast as they could, before we hardly new
it we were between two batteries and their musket and
cannon balls were flying as thick as hail stones all arround
us but fortunately for us the most of them passed over
our heads but some of our men have fallen through some
mismanagement of the leading officers we were defeted,
we were ordered to retreet after we had fairly won the
battle for men that know say that we fairely won the
battle and I know that the rebels had begun to retreat
but we had to obey orders but it was mighty harde to
comply with the order but we did retreet in great
disorder that is a part of our did while some got off in
good order officers would come along full speed and
order the men to throw away their guns and run for life
and some of them obeyed the command thinking all was

[page 2]
wright that they were ordered to do I have not time
to write the full particulars of the battle but the scene was
terrible almost beyond description a kind providence has saved
the most of our regiment but some of them are still missing
and we now give them up for dead or prisoners we have lost
6 out of Co. K H. D. Wood, L. W. Farrow, S. F. Haskell,
H. Bryant, F. Brown and one more we feel as bad for them as
brothers but cannot help them the rebels have met with
a heavyer loss then we have by far our loss will be less than
1000 I think while that of the enemy will exceed 3000
without doubt according to the statement of some deserters
that came over to our side. We are now in Alexanderia
city we reached here monday night and still remain
here we are all well with the exception of a few sore
toes and lame hips occasioned by our long march from
the field of battle. When I get time I will give you
a better account of the battle and our proceedings
write as soon as convenient

Yours in haste

Hiram N. Cash

Tell Walter to be a good boy
till get home and take care of the
steers.

Private, Co. K 5th Maine.

MSS 12916