Confederate Civil War Letters: Battles

Confederate Battle Letter: 48^th North Carolina Soldier Fights at the Sight of Dunker Church, ANTIETAM Maryland – “THE GROUND WAS BLOODY FROM THE DYING AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS.  THERE WERE A GREAT MANY DEAD SOLDIERS A LYING ABOUT, SOME WITH THEIR BRAINS SHOT OUT, I SAW ONE MAN WHO HAD HIS HEAD SHOT OFF, ANOTHER WITH LOWER JAW SHOT OFF…”

Battle of New Bern, N.C. Letter – Written by Hugh E. McAulay, 37^th N.C. Infantry – “THE GROUND WAS COVERED WITH BLOOD OF THE HORSES, AND THE CANNON PLAYING ON US ALL THE TIME”

48^th Georgia Confederate Battle Letter – Dorsey W. Binion Graphically Describes the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg – “IT WAS FILLED WITH NEGROES AND YANKS CRYING OUT NO QUARTERS, WHEN A HAND-TO-HAND CONFLICT ENSUED WITH THE BREECH OF OUR GUNS AND BAYONETS…” – “THE WHOLE FACE OF THE EARTH WAS LITERALLY STREWN WITH DEAD NEGROES, YANKS AND OUR MEN, THE DREADFULEST SCENE I EVER WITNESSED.” – “OUR BOYS ARE GREAT ON PLUNDERING DEAD YANKS.”

Graphic Description of Battle of Malvern Hill by Joseph R. Manson 12^th Virginia Infantry – “IT WAS A SAD SIGHT TO WALK OVER THE FIELD OF BATTLE AND GATHER UP THE DEAD TO BE PLACED WITHOUT COFFIN OR SHROUD UNDER A FEW INCHES OF DIRT.  THERE WE PLACED THE DARK-SKINNED CREOLE FROM THE SWAMPS OF LOUISIANA WITH THE INVADERS FROM THE OLD GRANITE & GREEN MOUNTAIN STATES OF THE NORTH…”