1862 July 1 near Richmond, Va.

              Richmond Va.  July 1st 62.
Dear Ma,
          I wrote to you the 28th inst,
but the letter may have failed to
get off.  We were in a battle on
the 27th.  None of my company were
hurt.  Four of our Reg. were killed &
12 wounded.  The loss of life on
both sides was awful.  Sunday
morning I accidentally learned
that the 6th Ga Reg. was in the
same fight on the 27th.  I learned
that Lew was severely wounded
and was then at a church 3 miles
off.  Although our Reg. was under
marching orders at the time the
information came, I got permission
& hastened to see him.  On arri-
ving at the church I found him

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in reality severely wounded.
He was struck by a musket
ball on the left side of the head
two inches above the left ear.
The skull is slightly fractured,
though I hope not beyond recovery.
I returned to my Reg in the P.M.
(at it happened the Reg. had not moved)
and obtained leave of absence
for two or three days to bring
him to Richmond.  I also
prevailed upon the Col. of the 6th
Ga. to allow George Slappy to
come with him.  When he fell, which
was early in the engagement before
he had fired a gun, George took
him off the field & carried him
to a church near by where hun-
dreds of others were carried.

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George was with him when I found
him.  Yesterday we procured an
ambulance wagon & brought
him to Richmond.  The distance
the way we came was 10 miles.
I had him carried to the Seabrooks
Hospital.  All the Ga Hospitals
were crowded.  He will doubtless
be well cared for.  He will require
very little medical attention.  The
ladies are very attentive and do
everything they can to make him com-
fortable.  As soon as he is able
to travel I will procure him a
furlough, & let him come home.
He is cheerfull [sic], & does not
complain.  I will be compelled to
return to my company tomorrow.
George will stay & take care of
him.  I will give him money enough

[Inserted in the top margin on page three is the following:]
Capt Colding returned day before yester-
day.  Our Reg. organized anew yesterday

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buy whatever he may need that
the Gov. does not furnish, though
the Gov. has a full supply of
nearly every article necessary.
Lew had been in two or three
battles before, & escaped unhurt.
I left Bob in the Hospital in
Staunton so that he was
not in the fight.  He had diar-
rhea & slight fever & was
not able to march.  I am
looking for him to return
to the Company before long.
     In coming to Richmond yesterday
I had occasion to pass through the
principal battle field.  I think I saw
150 dead men not buried & probably
will not be.  It is a horrible sight &
the stench intolerable.  but the War
is nearly at an end.  The Yankees
will have to give up. – John
 [Written in the top margin:] I will send a Richmond Paper

John Y. Bedingfield, 4th Georgia Battalion


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13119