1862 June 8 Camp near Richmond

                                June 8th
              Camp near Richmond
Dear Mother

                      It has been some
time since I had an opportunity
of writing to any of you.  My last
letter was to Nette from the other
camp nearer to Richmond than
the present. A few days after I wrote
the regiment received marching
orders and have been stationed
ever since a few miles below
here doing picket duty. We left
all our baggage behind and have
been leading a pretty rough life
Only last night we were relieved
from picket but the regiment
is still about two miles below
here.  I got permission to come
up here to-day in order to wash    ght
and get some clean clothes and thou^
that I would seize the opportunity
of writing home as I can't always

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keep my paper and baggage
with me.  I told Nette that I had
lost my knapsack I have since
recovered it.  It did not go to Lync
burg as I had supposed.  You have
heard ere this of the fight near
here.  I would have attem let you
know ere this that we were not
engaged but had no opportunity
We were drawn up in line of
battle insight and hearing of
the action in order to protect the
flank of that position of our
troops who were attacking the
enemy.  I said in sight of the battle
That was not strictly true for
the woods prevented our seeing
anything but we could distinctly
hear the roar of artillery and
musketry and the cheers of the
men.  a little before dark we were
ordered down to the scene of action
and after double quicking for about

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a mile and a half were halted
behind a fence.  After a few
minutes pause somebody told Col
Humphreys to go in and charge  ed
a battery which was a few hundr^
yard in front.  The Col gave the
order and over the fence went into
a swamp filled with fallen timber
vines stumps and all sorts of
obstacles it was too dark to see
very well and the regiment was
soon thrown into confusion.  Just
then some general ordered us back
and we resumed our former position
where we slept in line until
a little before day,  when we were
marched back again to our the
former position we it had oc-
cupied the day before.  The enemy
made an attempt that morning
to drive our troops of the field
and we were ordered down to
support a battery but were

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not calle[d] into action.  I think
we might be said to have
been in the fight for we went
on the field and had the
bombs and bullets flying over
our heads although we had
no chance of firing one man
in the regiment was slightly
wounded by a piece of shell
We hear all sorts of rumours of
the doings of the Yankees on the
river I hope they have not and
will not honour Woodville with
a visit Sam and Ned Burrus are
well Give much love to all
my friends and to the servants
and (I should have mentioned
them first) to Nell and Nette
Your two first letters directed
to Gordonsville and Yorktown reached
me at last.

                           I remain
                          Your affectionate son
                                  Horatio N. Smith

Horatio Smith, Co. D, 1st Mississippi


MSS 3372