Thursday, July 26, 2012

1862 July 27 Camp near Richmond


July the 27th 1862
Miss Rachel [Bramham]
I hope you will excuse me for
Remaining so long silent, for I have been through many
troubles since I wrote to you last.  I suffered a great eal
while in Lynchburg Hospital sick which I have no doubt
you heard of.  I am now called the old Gentleman on
account of my Bald Head I lost my Hair from the
effects of that spell.  but I am thankfull to say it is groing
out again--since my Return to the Regiment we have
been either moving Camp or on the march or fighting
nearly all the time and I have writen but very few
letters.  I have not had the pleasure of seeing your Brother John
since we have have been near Richmond he can tell
you something of the difficulties of a soldier--we are
now as the saying is laying on our oars every thing is
quiet and the Boys are getting fat getting in good order
for another fight our loss in the late Battles was very heavy
and very distressing  I saw some noble young men fall on
the field some that I esteemed very highly, you cannot
imagine my feelings at the time.  But the feelings of
a man can better be imagined than explained or expressed
in time of a Battle, when musket Balls are falling
as thick as Hail and cannon Belching forth grape
and canister so thick that it would seem impossible

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for a man to escape yet strange to say there are a great
many that escape without one scratch through the protections
of an unseen hand.  I trust the time is not far distance
when we will be a free and happy people again and can
enjoy ourselves as in  times that are past--the privations and
confinement in war is almost as Bad as the fighting
I expect my Brother Thomas will visit the neighbourhoood
of Scottsville either to morrow or the next day on detail duty
for the company  I hope he may see you while he
is up  I must come to a close and go to cooking
I have several in my mess and only three of us to cook
for all and By the By one sick and as [?]full as you
ever saw  Please excuse this short letter and one so
Badly written--And let me hear from you soon
      Your Friend
           Most affectionately
                 Robt. L. Omohundro
P.S.
Direct your letter to Richmond Co. C. 19th
Va. Regt.

1 comment:

  1. My mother, Donna, who works in Special Collections asked me to look this and comment. I enjoyed reading it!
    Summer
    Fredericksurg, VA

    ReplyDelete

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