1862 July 2 near Richmond, Va.

[writing faded and illegible in places]


                                             James River Road 17 miles Rich
                                             mond Wednesday July 2 '62

My dear Father  [David Meade Bernard]

                 I have a small scrap of paper & drop you a line to relieve
all uneasiness about myself.  A kind providence has spared me through
the perils of another engagement.  Yesterday afternoon we [encountered?]
the enemy at this place where one of the most terrific battles of the war
took place.   Our loss was tremendous. The field was strewn with
our dead & wounded.  The fight commenced about 2 in the afternoon
with artillery.  About four our brigade was ordered to charge the
enemys [battery?] which we did with tremendous [cheering?]  The battery
fell back and as we [drove?] upon the summit of the hill from which
it had been firing.  Both parties opened with musketry which
continued until after dark.  Hardly had the enemy's artillery
left its first position that its artillery it opened again
on us & played incessantly upon unreplied to by
our own We slept on the battle field surrounded by

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the dead & wounded.  Our regiment behaved most
gallantly. Every brigade & regiment wavered but
the 12th--I wish I had time to write more. I have
heard nothing from Dick--Brother still at camp
Our regiment suffered seventy-two of our [?]
Co J killed outright, several missing.  Love to
all I trust we may not meet the enemy again
                               Yr Aff Son
                                G S Bernard

George Smith Bernard, 1837-1912, 12th Virginia Infantry, after the war a Petersburg,Va., lawyer and member of the House of Delegates

MSS 7745