Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 1960 Volume 11 Number 1, Page 22

The following letter is a copy of an original letter
loaned to the History Club by Martha A. Burns, of Berwyn, Pa.

Page 22

Hr. Qr.1 1st Brig, 3d Div. 10th AC
Near Bermuda Hundred, Va.
May 25, 1864

Capt. Wm. Wayne
Waynesborough, Pa.

Dear Sir:
Having a spare moment, after a very busy and most trying fortnight campaign, I sit down to drop you a hasty note. The Col. and I are well. We arrived here with the "Veterans" on the 12th of May and immediately went into active service. Col. Gurs commands this Brigade & I am the Aaag. The Regts in the Brig are the 97th, the 55th Pr., the 8th Me Vols k the 4th N.H. Vols. In the fight before Fort Dorling on the l6th our Brigade lost 559. A great proportion were Officers - among them Col. White, Lt.Col. Bennett of the 55th, Lt.Col. Boynton of the 8th Me. and Major Sawyer of the 4th N.H. Vols.

The loss of the 97th up to date is about 234 in killed, wounded and missing. Among the Officers-Maj. Pennypacker is severely wounded in three places (arm, side & leg). He is at Ft. Monroe. I heard from him yesterday; he is comfortable. Capt. Gurs, 1st Lt. Griffith & 2nd Lt. Barton of Co. A were all wounded--the two former severely & are in Hospital at Fort Monroe. Capt. Savage severely, Capt. Price slightly, Capt. Mendenhall slightly, Lt. Fawkes killed, Lt. Garriver of Co. G, slightly, Lt. Lemaistre severely (in Hospital), Lt. Black shot through the arm. I regret to say that a great many of our very best soldiers are killed & severely wounded. The loss in your old company is quite heavy. Among the number is Corp. Brinton killed & Serg Griffith & Brosius very severely wounded. A complete list of the casualties has been forwarded by me to the "Record", & will be published, I presume. The 97th sustained its former high reputation & is well spoken of by every one-also a charge that it made; it lost 175, (3) color bearers were shot, but the old tattered flag continued to float although almost riddled to pieces. I send you a fragment. The Col. & I have always been front, and we had some narrow escapes. Things look favorable. We are up night & day, ..? ...? and sleeping on our arms constantly. The weather is very warm. A few days ago it was very wet & the roads almost impassable for the mud. I hope I shall get through safely. This is a great contrast to the "suffering" at Waynesborough. Write soon (to Ft. Monroe) as above Headed, & with my warmest regards to Mrs. Wayne & the children Believe me Very Truly Yours

H. W. Carruthers