| Dear Uncle, We crossed onto Harrison's Island.....We ran into a company of rebels who fired and wounded 21 of our men. The rebels retreated to a corn field followed by our men. They made a stand. We fought like tigers in a very exposed place. They fell on all sides around me.......All we could see is their heads dodging around the corn.....Shots were being continually exchanged. Every few minutes wounded or dead men were carried by, some completely covered with blood......I confess my frame quivered like never before.......We received a box of crackers and some meat....I heard a yell like I've never heard before. The Hell Hounds rushed upon us firing as they came. A shower of balls fell around us....We fell back. The officers drew their pistols saying they would shoot the first man who ran.....The rebel troops were now coming into Leesburg by the thousands...Col Baker now came to our aid with a portion of his Brigade....We now lay down and wait for the Hell Hounds which were flanking us...Their bloody screams I sicken to describe.....The heavens opened a perfect storm of lead hail.......The rebels had 10 men to our one.....They were trying to drive us back into the water and drown us.....At this time 2 howitzers and one rifled cannon arrived.....We gave them four rounds of grape and canister......We repulsed them three different times when I saw Col Baker's face pierced with six balls...... The men fell right side of me....The ground looked like springs of blood gushed from it........They charged our cannon which we threw down the bank into the water so it wouldn't fall into their hands.....The boat was swamped with wounded aboard. They all drowned....I threw off my clothes and jumped into the cold water to get back to Harrison's Island.......Col Devens also threw his uniform off and swam across to the island....He wept I love you, I love you my noble boys. You obeyed every command......Not 200 of us were left out of the whole Regt. The Col says there is no more 15th Regt...500 wounded, dead or taken prisoner. |