Fenn Letter Dec 1 1863

8/13/2019 Fenn Letter Dec 1 1863

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South of the Rapidan, December 1st, 1863

Dear Wife as I had A Prospect of Staying here in this spot long enough I thought I

would start A letter For You, but when I shall get A chance to send it is more than

I can tell at present. in the Firstplace I am well in the next place we have had aDevil of A Fight. I suppose you enjoyed yourself well Thanksgiving day I hope so

anyhow. well Thanksgiving day the 26thwe left Brandy Station and crossed the

Rapidan the Same night it rained and was very muddy we crossed at Jacobs Ford.

and climbed a steep Bank 2 or 3 feet high which we named Jacobs Ladder. the next

Morning we moved on again, we went very slow, about noon we heard the

cracking of Rifles and we knew the Enemy was near. the Country is A Complete

Wilderness here only once in A while A few Acres Cleared land. we are now

where the Army of the Potomac never was before. well A little past one they begun

to get our Brigade in Position our Second Division had been Fighting the Rebels

about two hours, and we was to releive them and let them go to the rear. the trees

were very thick and we had to push through Brush and limbs for half an hour,

when we got our Position in A small Hollow, now at this time two o clock,

Business was getting lively there was an open Field between the rebs position and

ours and they had come Across this field and the Balls flew over our heads like

Bees. there was A stout rail Fence 7 feet high. Close to the edge of the woods we

was in and the rebels Johnnys we call them laid behind this Fence. Plugging away

at our skirmishers like the Devil we laid on our Bellys about five minutes to avoidtheir Balls when the order Come to rise up. I knew that we was going to have A

rough time than. then Came the order Fix Bayonets charge. and away we went

through the Brush and woods yelling like so many Devils. the Johnys gave us one

volley from the Fence and than run as fast as their legs would let them most of the

regt stopped on our side of the Fence but I and two others in our Company went

over and stopped and Commenced Firing as soon as the Rebs got into their side of

the Clearing in the woods they returned it. we had it hot and heavy than for an hour

when we was releived by the 14th

New Jersey and Fell to the rear. they stood it Awhile and than we went up and gave it to them until Dark when our Division was

releived by the 1stDivision. and so ended our part of the Fight that day we lost 78

men killed wounded and missing. 11 Killed 57 wounded and 10 missing. Elmore

Whitney of , was killed, shot through the head, XXVIX, December 3rd.

where do you suppose we are now, back to Brandy Station I figure. night before


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last it begun to be whispered around that we were going back, our Regt was out on

Picket than. we could see the rebel earthwork plain, they were the strongest kind

reaching from east to west over 4 miles I couldnt beleive from the first that our

Army would ever attack them and they didnt. we was getting short of rations and

our Cripplys couldnt get up. at half past two o clock yesterday Morning we quietlyleft our Posts and started on the back track and got here clock last night

having marched 29 Virginia miles in one day which are a Darned Sight longer than

Vermont miles any time our regt bring on Picket didnt Come with the Corps but

showed through alone the Corps didnt get in until this Morning. we have had an

awfull tough time. it has been very cold the ice froze nearly an inch thick and the

wind has blowed A good deal besides. it is warmer today and the sun shines

pleasant. Elmore Whitney, the one that was killed has Bunked with me ever since

Jim went to the Hospital. Oscar Garrett was badly wounded he tented with meWilliam Cobb, was Color Guard, he was badly wounded this was all that was lost

in our Company out their was some narrow escapes. Cook got his Foot Bruised

Some by A spent Ball. Some of our wounded have since died, you will get A list of

the names in some Vermont paper. the old Brigade lay about A quarter of A mile

to our rear they say that they never heard such rapid Firing for the length of the line

and so long kept up I Fired 19 times, some 19 some 24 some not so many and

some more. we laid A mile of rebs that day our Pioneers were all night burying the

dead. one of our Officers went over the ground the next Morning they dug great

holes and Pitched the Johnnys in just as it happened he see A Board stuck up at one

grave Marked with A pencil, forty Johnny sly here we are in hopes of getting some

papers and our Mail now, we aint had any since the 25thof last Month we hear

their has been big doings off West, but what, we have no Particulars. one thing on

this trip I have been tough as A Bear and had enough to eat but some that was

afraid of carrying rations have suffered for the want of them. I might as well write

of A little tight spot I got into in the Fight, and it has made A good deal of Fun for

the officers and the Boys how I got out of it. I was on A heavy 7 foot rail Fence

with about 75 others of the regt A fair target for the rebs and they sent their Balls

in unmercifully, I got on one knee and kept my eye Cusses and loaded. Fired as

fast as Could and take aim I had a fair view and could see them in in the

woods about 40 rods off their was so many behind one firing over my head I begun

to get and wished myself back on the other side of the Fence. I looked

around but they was so thick I couldnt get over without being in danger of getting


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shot by our own Men So I contented myself where I was, and blazed away. Some

one gave the order to fall back and they went back on A full run, I didnt know as

they was going back until I see the Damned rebels Coming out of the woods right

towards as I looked around than and our regt was going over the hill like the Devil.

I sprung up on the Fence pretty darned quick than but A rail that stuck up sidewaysof the Fence Catched on my Knapsack and I was hung. I yanked 3 times the 4 th

time the rail give way and over I went on to my head and shoulder on to the ground

I run my Bayonet in the ground the whole length when I struck and twisted the

shank so it was spoiled. I could hear the rebs yelling like so many wildcats cClose

behind all this time and the Balls flew like hail by me but thank fortune they didnt

have my name on one of our Corporals see me tumble over the Fence and he asks

me every little while how I like straddling the Fence. it was an almighty narrow

escape but after I got up I couldnt help laughing at what Aperformance I hadmade. Somehow I tore of every button on the Front side of my Breeches and broke

both suspenders in the operation. but I tied them up before Ive went up the second

time. Well this sheet is most full and poorly wrote my ink is so thick it bothers me

I presume our Mail will go out tomorrow and will have more than that I dont think

of now.

Documents

Fenn Letter Dec 1 1863