For Educational Use Only Copyright 2009

For Educational Use Only www.MaineMemory.net Copyright 2009

Contributed to Maine Memory Network by Maine Historical Society(Coll. S-602, Misc. Box 23/4)MMN #25225

Date: May 25, 1864Description: John Marshall Brown letter from North Anna River, Virginia

Head Quarters Thirty-Second Maine Regiment.

May 25t 1864My dear Nellie, I begin this letter tonightnot knowing when or where I may finish itIt is 1/2 past 4 and I am writing under ashelter tent with my paper on my knee, thiswill be my excuse for all the imperfectionswhich will be so apparent. We are on the South Bank of the North Anna river andabout 1/2 a mile from it near where therail road crosses, you can easily find theplace on any good map. I will tell youhow we came here. We were orderd tomove on Saturday from Belle Plain butdid not get away until Saturday morningThe colonel was sick and I took commandof the regiment & marched as escort of a train of supplies to Fredericksburg. Just beforestarting I met Dick Pond who was on hisway to rejoin his regiment. We got to ourdestination in good order & encamped just outside the town. I rode all overthe ground which had become so famousand identified all the localities I hadbecome familiar with in the memorablebattle of Dec. 1862. I saw Mrs Genl Barlow

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there but couldn’t stop to speak to herMonday morning we marched to BowlingGreen about 20 miles & arrived about 9 at night. Tuesday we passed throughMilford where I saw Col Owen Philsfriend who gave me some lunch. weencamped last night about six milesfrom here. This morning we marched tothis point and on reporting to Genl.Burnside our ordered across the river to jointhe rest of the regt. which is in the2nd Brigade (Col Griffin) of the 2nd Division (Genl PotterI found that the Major had been relievedof command on account of incompetency.I assumed command & have got the wholeregiment now in rifle pits not far from where I am sitting. It has been quite ahard service thus far but I am gladthat I am in command. I don’t knowhow soon Col. Wentworth will get well; heis sick with dysentery & I may have theregiment for some time. I don’t wantany of you to say that the Colonel is not in command I would rather have theinformation get out through some othersource than our family. All around are signs of war. Oncein a while I hear the bursting of a shell. and at intervals the musketry firing




of the skirmishes occasionaly a woundedman passes by. Perhaps it is allperliminary to a battle but it may not be May29th I scratch a few lines, my dear Nellie, hoping toget this away to-day. We are on the South bank of the Pamunkey & within 20 miles ofRichmond. We remained in the intrenchmentson the North Anna two days & had two littleskurries with the enemy during which welost one or two men. On the night of the 26th werecrossed the river & marched through themud till two oclock when we lay down& slept till 6. we marched on until two of28th when I had to post the Division pickets& got asleep at 3. at 6 we started again &marched till two this morning when we crossed the Pamunkey got 3 hours sleep &marched to our present position where weare lying in line of battle about 3 milesfrom the river. Our Scouts have justbrought in a prisoner who reports thatEwells Corps is intrenched about twomiles from us. I do not know what weare to do. When I was on the staff Iknew everything but now I know nothing.I passed by Genl Ayres Hd. Qurs. this morningbut could not stop to see him. I have to beat the head of the regt. I have been in




command ever since we left Belle Plain.I shall continue so as long as there is aprospect of a fight. I have called onParker Boyd & left word that I had aletter for him He has not called on meyet & I shall leave the letter in myvalise until he does. I am very wellindeed & although the marching has beensevere & my duties onerous I am veryhappy & contented. I think I am beginningto win the confidence of both officers and men& that is all I want. I have not heard a word from home since I left. What areyou all doing? You would laugh to seeme sitting down in this open field &writing on my knee I am burnt almostto a cinder, the skin is coming off myface in pieces as big as my fingernail.and my beard, wonderful to relate is abouta quarter of an inch long and disgustingly shabby. I have just had a good wash &“turned over a new leaf” a la Oldbuck,& feel now in fighting trim. With much love to all friends and very much to thehome folks. Your loving brother Jack



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For Educational Use Only Copyright 2009