1862 August 10 Camp Green Meadows, Va.

                          Aug 10th
Camp Green Meadows Va
Dear Father
                     As I have
perhaps told you in a
former letter our present
camp is about 12 miles
S. East of Flat Top but
as Camp Jones 6 miles
east of us, 4 companies
of our Reg't are encamped
guarding a ferry on
New River called Packs
ferry the remaining 6
companies are here the
30th & 12th Regts are yet at
Flat Top also the 9[?]th & 28th
Reg'ts  The Mullens & Simmans[?]
Batteries and some Cavalry
I am telling you this
that I may the better
tell you briefly of

[page 2]
a slight skirmish
our boys had at the
ferry on Wednesday
last, in the morning we
were ordered to prepare
to march down there
as it was reported by
Scouts that the enemy
                in a large force
were advancing ^ on that
place down the River
from the narrows of
New River where as I
have told you they
have been since our
retreat--from Giles
Couriers soon reported that
they had made the attack
with the evident intention
of forceing a passage
We (the Band) and three Companies
of inf immediately went
forward soon after starting
we began to meet loaded

[page 3]
wagons and here & there
small squads of straglers
fellows who all had exagerated
stories to tell one would
tell us that the enemy were
upon us 6000 strong others
that the enemy were crossing
the river and that our
boys were retreating.
We at length approached
the river, and as ordered went
down to the tune of Yankee Doodle
we here found that our
boys had destroyed the ferry
boat thus cutting off an chance
to cross the river and that
the enemy were retreating
fortunately none of our boys
were injured there were
many narrow escapes
however the effects of the enemys
shells were to be seen in the
torn tents and the ground

[page 4]
plowed up three shells
passed through the surgeons
tent one after passing through
lodged & exploded in a
large box of medicine
completely demolishing all
the quinine & capsicum
during the afternoon the boys
got back to camp and their
breakfasts and we up
again to our camp at this
place

[letter of James Dinsmore Templeton of the 23rd Ohio continues on August 11]

MSS 10317