1862 May 22 near Richmond, Va.

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of the Letcher Artillery]

May 23rd  [sic] It is very warm
this morning.  Sent letter off to Jennie.
Orders came this morning to have Battery
                                   
target Practice in 3rd Brigade, between 11 & 12
o’c A. M.. as we started off at 11 o’c  & took a
position in the Massaponax hills a mile in
rear of our Camp.  There we waited until
about 1 ½ o’c, as a S. C. Battery were sta-
-tioned in the direction we were to fire so
we waited until they had finished before
commencing.  Col Hamilton & Capt. Mc
Intosh of the S. C. Battery came over to see
our firing, which they pronounced excel-
-lent.  The S. C. Battery made very poor [word lined through]
shots.  Our two rifled guns fired finely.
In the midst of our firing a thunder
storm came up and wet us to the
skin.  We reached Camp at about 3 ½
o’c.  Had a good dinner awaiting us.
I sat my horse during the whole
of the firing and very close to the
guns, he was very much frightened.
Found a letter from Jennie await-
-ing me at Camp, & also found the

letter I had left in the morning to send
to Jennie had not been taken by the
Mail Carrier nor any of the mail, as
no one was left here to take charge
of them.  It is quite cool this evening.


[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150