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James A. Seevers to Wife
April 9, 1862
Pittsburg Landing on Tennessee River
April 9th 1862 at night
My Dear Wife
You have doubtful heard before this that I am safe through the first of my battles. Shannon says he wrote on Sunday night and also on Monday and Major Bellknap says that he telegraphed to Keokuk the names of all the killed and wounded so that you are doubtless at ease upon the Subject the next subject that may interest you at home is the Condition of John health. I have just saw him, as soon as the boat that brought us up arrived which was Sunday the 6th at daylight I attempted to learn [several illegible words] here and learned that they were all here but also learned that the 3rd Iowa was camped about 2 miles from the river, therefore I could not then see John. about 9 Oclock on Sunday we wer call up in line to take part in the Battle that had commenced in good earnest. We then went out into the fight and I could not See him until this morning. he is very sick & has had a very hard time Since Sunday morning the Battle commenced so unexpectedly that the Regiment was compelled to abandon him in the ten and commenced the fight quite early. he managed to get into a waggon and go to the river, but then he was compelled to lay out on the ground all day & all night at night it rained nearly all night. he says that he got under a a waggon. but he and I lay within 100 yards of each other that night but I did not Know it. he also laid out the next night in the rain how he endured it I cannot tell, but he does not look so bad as I expected to see him he is in the same condition that he was last fall, and looks about as bad I have been trying to get his discharge papers, and think that I will succeed but it will take several days to do so perhaps weeks, and what troubles me it that we are almost certain to leave here in a few days and we cannot take him and I do not what to do with him he is not able to travel and I can not get him down the river without a pass and he cannot get a pass without a discharge I will do the best I can for him however, and will try and get him home. I think that he will be able to travel on the boats in a few days and if there is any hope I will try & get a pass for him, whatever I can do will be done for him, and you must tell Father & Mother to easy about him I think that he will be able to get home, but it is very doubtful. I must tell you about the fight. It commenced at about 4 oclock on Sunday the 6’ of April. We arrived at about 4 oclock in the morning, and entered the Battle at about 9 or 10, as that is the most as that is the most important to you I will describe it fast. we were drawn up in line of Battle, on the river and numbered about 900 men fit for duty. I had 85 men in line. we were then marched about 3 miles to the Seen of the action, on our right wing. we were led on by an inexperience orderly aid of somebodys, and fell upon the enemy before we were aware of their whereabouts, and while we were yet in an open field. the bullets fell thick and fast around us and the Crack of musketry and the roar of the Cannon in the woods beyond was very sever on raw troops like ours. and here we came very near pannick, but we stood the test better than afterwards. we then filed off to the left and got in to the woods. And formed our line within about 200 yards of the enemys line and opened fire on them we then fell on the ground and attempted to crawl up on them in order to give them a good fire and charge Bayonetts but after planting the flag 25 yards in advance and attempted to rally on the [colors is struck out] flag but just at this turn when I had my company in line around the flag [the regt is struck out] Col Reid fell badly wounded in the neck and the right wing of our Reg gave way that 2 Co A & F but were soon rallied by Lieut Col Dewey, and brought back in line but State they did not advance to suport me and the flag and after a vain attempt to get them forward to where [I was is struck out] the flag with my co. I was compelled to abandon the position that I had taken and formd again on the old line as soon however as this was attempted Cos A & F seeing the flag coming back, again broke in wild confusion and in spite of my efforts and also others to keep the companies up they all broake and run in wild disorder. I know that this is disgraceful, but the truth must be told, what ever may be said of me by others I know that I was the last man that left that field with the exception of John Kinsman and he and I left together. the rout did not commence however until after we had fought the enemy for two hours one of the hottest [illegible] of the day. the regiment lost 19 killed & about 125 wounded 2 of whome have died since. Among the killed are 2 com officers, and 2 that are known to be wounded & prisoners
the Killed are Lieut Hamilton of Co I & Lieut Penneman [Penniman] of Co A. the missing officers are Lieut Fisk Co G & Capt Hedrick Co K I lost one man killed C W Bardick [Burdick] a Shoemaker from Oskaloosa, and 14 wounded. the wounded are, David Hoff, Severely in the shoulder, C L Kirk Severely in the Leg I S Warner, Severly in the breast, (I fear mortally) Henry Bonell in the hand J T Timberel [Timbrell] in the arm, not very bad, Charles Johnson in the hand. Wm Brown in the hand. David Dervur [Devore] in the side Simon Autry Leg Jas Youngblood slightly in the leg – the rest of the wounded are of so slight a character that it is useless for me to mention their names.
I would like to discribe to you the battle but I am not competent to do so with any satisfaction to my self for the reason that I have not been posted as to how many troops were here on either side You know [line illegible] here long enough before the fight to be posted and since then all has been in confusion it is said however that Gen Grant had 35 thousand effective men engaged on Sunday, and that Gen Buell reinforced him on Sunday night with 30 thousand more making 65 thousand men engaged boath days, and I think the estimate is correct, but the fact is that Grant fought on Sunday and Buell on Monday. how many the Rebels had is very hard to tell but certainly it was not less than ours, and some say a great deal larger.
On Sunday I consider that we were defeated the Rebels commenced the fight 6 miles out from the river, and stedily drove our lines in all day and in spite of all our efforts we could not stop their advance, until night. when making a last stand at the river we sustained our line until night closed upon this terable day. and we laid down upon our armes, all night waighting for the attack in the mornig. Although I new Buell was to be there yet I felt confident that nothing would save us from all being taken prisoner, but the hardest fight was yet to come, on monday the fight again opened, and we drove them foot by foot right over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before. so confident were they that they would compel us to Surrender that they did not burn our tents in fact the prisoner that we took told us that, Boregard told them not to destroy the tents that they would soon have them all for their selves.
the troops under Gen. Johnston faught better than thoes under Boregard But they all faught better than ours did until they found that we were about to defeat them and then they ran like sheep
How many are killed and wounded it is imposible to tell, and it will never be known on Sunday they held possesion of the field and benea they did but on monday we got possesion & then we could have some idea how it stood I passed over the field on Tuesday where the hardest fight was and I am satisfied that they had as many killed on Monday as we had on boath days. I judge from the men laying on the field there taking in to consideration that [?] all they Killed on Sunday it looks to me as though they had at least 1/3 more killed then we had the battle occured in a heavy timbered Country, and many a life was sever by a tree. how I escaped without being touched god only knows
And whatever may be the report, that comes to you I know that I done my duty and I sincearly hop that this may end the war.
we are now in Gen Lauman brigade.
I can write no more
I am your obedient & faithful
Husband
James A Seevers
You may show this letter to will & he can copy such portion as will give information to the relatives of my boys, and have it published they all done well but I can not particularize now
Jas A Seevers
Captain James A. Seevers
Company C, 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Letter to wife, postmarked April 14, 1862 at Cairo, Illinois
Pittsburg Landing Tennessee River
April 14th, 1862
My Dear Wife
Your very Kind favor of the is at hand[.] I am very glad to know that you are still quite well, and also the rest of the family. I wrote you on the 8th or 9, but this was so soon after the Battle that I have some fiers that it never reach you as there was an order [pre a] that no letter should leave the camp for 10 days, but Shannon informs me that he sent it by a friend of his who was going to Cairo and that he would mail it there[.] should this be so you have undoubtedly received it by this time and your mind is easy [safe is struck out] so far as I am concerned. I am still quite well with the Exception of a Diarrea which is very prevalent in this camp owing to the mineral substance that is in the water. John is still about the same but must of course be growing weaker. I have just been with him to the Boat in order to get him to St Louis, but failed in doing so, the order was to take all the sick & wounded down to the river to the various Hospitals but by some mismanagement of the medical department there was not boats enough & [illegible] so we had to return to camp. I was carefull to hall him down in a lumber waggon & the roads was very bad and the ride has woried him very much I hop however that worthy service will be the result, but I have fears still I will strive to do all that lays in my power to get him on his way home. I still think that his discharge may come in a few days, if it should I shall make, an other effort to get him on his way home although I am hoping against hope, when I hope that he may reach home only to die. I would give anything in my power & God in his providence would save him from being berried in this cursed rebelious Soil. I would rather that his body may reach some state where it can be said she was ever loyal to the government he has fought so nobly to sustain[.] I had hoped that I could get him assigned to some Hospital at St Louis but have as yet failed thinking that if he could get that far, that perhaps he could be sent for; and again I have hoped that the Governor of Iowa with a Sanitary Commission would come to take care of the sick & wounded from Iowa but this prospect has failed. why it is that Ohio Indiana and Illinois and nearly all the other western states can send out their delegations to take care of the sick & wounded and Iowa cannot . certainly no troops ever fought better than Iowa troops, and no state is better represented here than Iowa there was 10 Iowa regiments in the fight numbering nearly 10,000 men. Iowa had at least 2500 men killed up, and 1000 wounded, in this fatal fight. certainly Iowas [paltrsm?] should show itself and come to our relief. She still maybe represented here, and I hop to god she may. nothing is more horable to my feelings than to contemplate the manner in which the sick & wounded has been treated since the battle. I sincerely hope to god that I may never see such sights again but I feel that I must go through just such sights again and that very soon. whether I will be safe after a nother battle feild or not is yet to be seen. how soon our next fight will be is impossible to tell but it is said that the Ribles are in force at Corinth 20 miles from here.
I would like to give you a discription of the Great Battle but I know that you have already Seen full particulars in the newspapers, and although I supposed that the newspapers were incorrect in relation to most of the Battles Yet I must admit that all the accounts that I have seen are in the main correct[.] In nearly all the accounts of this Battle that I have Seen, the correspondent has given the credit of this victory to General Grant. this is not right, all our loss on Sunday was by the bad management of Grant, and the victory was won by Gen Buell. to tell the truth and it must be told sooner or latter, Gen Grant and his whole army was as completely defeated on Sunday night, as ever the Army of the Potomic was at Bulls run, and as Wellington exclaimed at Waterloo, (I would to god that mighty Blucher would come,) Gen Grant could say thus at 3 Oclock on Sunday I would to God that night or Buell would come, but by the most super human effort held the enemy at Bay until night, but I never was to discouraged in my life, as I was about 4 Oclock, in the afternoon on Sunday. we were so completely whipped at this time that nothing appeared that could save us. The Rebels attacked us at daylight on Sunday and although our oughtpost was at least 6 miles from the river yet they drove in our pickets and attacked our main line at early daylight, and steadily drove our men in until we were all most ready to plunge into the river. nothing that I could see that would save us from an other Bull run, our men came rushing in by the thousand and thronged the River Bank. it was truly a terable sight to see. A mass of human beings 2 miles in length running at pell mell style for the river and the enemy in full pursuit. they look to me like perfect defeat, and in fact it was, but Gen Buell came over from the otherside of the river and made a speech, and said if we would out hold the army till night that he would whip him in the morning. a few straglers from the various regiments rallied and went upon the hill and planted a Battery and with the assistance of the Gunboats, kept them back until night. and such a night it was all was exhausted and all felt certain that we would all be prisoner in the morning. although I felt certain that Buell had thirty thousand men on the other side of the river and that he would get them all across before morning[.] Yet I had no confidence in success and consiquently laid down on the ground with about 20 of my men arround me, without a hope for the future. I felt that the strugle in the morning would be short but dreadful to contemplate, and that we were all certainly to be made prisoners. I never passed such a night in my life and I hope that I may never be compelled to do so again. I laid down with one of the boys and tried to sleep but could not I contemplated the future, and satisfied myself that, let come what would that I felt satisfied that I had done my duty and on that day, and that I should enter into the fight with as much Zeal on the morning as I did on that day but with much less hope. not a man around me but felt as I did, at about midnight the rain pored down on that [illegible] hoard not respecting friend or foe.
In the morning Gen Buell commenced the attack and for a long time the contest appeared doubtful, and up to 10 O’clock there could be no piceptial[?] distance gained but about that time the rebels began to fall back but in perfect good order, and as they fell back over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before, and they contested ever foot of the ground. it took us from early dawn in the mornig until 5 Oclock in the afternoon to drive them back over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before. at about 4 Oclock in the afternoon on monday the most desperate fight of the day commenced the rebels determined to make the last stand there and fought with a desperation only worthy a better cause but our men were too much for them and by 5 Oclock they were forced to flee, and leave the field in wild confusion. at this last place the ded rebels laid so thick that you could count 250 men and not leave any one position. counted 5 ded rebles behind one tree torn all to pieces by one Cannon Ball
I wrote Ben in my last letter a list of the Killed and wounded, which I wish you would have published. all our wounded have been sent to Savanna, and I have not heard from them Since, but I know they are well cared for and that makes me feel easy about them thoes that are Seriously wounded are I. S. Warner, David Hoff, C. Kirk, James Youngblood, and J. T. Timbrel the rest are not very badly hurt, and the only one of the above that I have any fear of loosing is I. S. Warner but when last heard from was doing very well but he is wounded in the breast, and is raley of a serious nature. I have some hop that the most of them will be home before long.
In the other Oskaloosa Co, I have not heard the names of the killed and wounded I have no doubt that others have written home. I know Capt Lulles[?] is wounded in the arm, but I do not think that his wound hurts him So much as his general debility and his wound together makes him look very bad. Capt Palmer is wounded in the [arm struck through] Shoulder, very severely, but is well care for Charley Wells is wounded in the arm, but not very badly. Creggy is also wounded but where I do not know. Charly Seanal is also wounded but where I do not know I think that he is a prisoner, but am not certain the 8 Reg was taken prisoner and Charly was with it at the time it is almost impossible to find our friends here or to tell what has been done with them. Judge Stone is a prisoner, and a capt [aud a?] in our regiment is a prisoner. I Know that you have already know more about the fight than I can tell you but you want a letter from me and I do not know what to write so I have writen you what I have If it is of any interest to you, I am satisfied for my trouble.
I am very glad to get a letter from you and it makes me feel that I am happy when I read them. I am truly thankful that my friend John Kinsman has saw fit to give me a good name, for I know that it will do you good to hear that my men are satisfied with my conduct towards them. nothing can be said that is too good of Johnny he is a noble Boy.
I know that you are not in a situation to attend to setting out my orchard but you can make sujestion and father if he is well can superintend it.
I hope that Bowen White will finish the house soon so that you can get to rent it
Tell Charly to be a good Boy and that Pa would be Glad to be at home and help him raise Piggs and take care of Ma.
You must excuse this letter boath in style and writing, for I have writen it in a hurry and on my lap at that.
I give you below a schech of the manner in which our forces were posted and also the enemy.
I am Your Very true and abel Husband
James A Seevers
April 9, 1862
Pittsburg Landing on Tennessee River
April 9th 1862 at night
My Dear Wife
You have doubtful heard before this that I am safe through the first of my battles. Shannon says he wrote on Sunday night and also on Monday and Major Bellknap says that he telegraphed to Keokuk the names of all the killed and wounded so that you are doubtless at ease upon the Subject the next subject that may interest you at home is the Condition of John health. I have just saw him, as soon as the boat that brought us up arrived which was Sunday the 6th at daylight I attempted to learn [several illegible words] here and learned that they were all here but also learned that the 3rd Iowa was camped about 2 miles from the river, therefore I could not then see John. about 9 Oclock on Sunday we wer call up in line to take part in the Battle that had commenced in good earnest. We then went out into the fight and I could not See him until this morning. he is very sick & has had a very hard time Since Sunday morning the Battle commenced so unexpectedly that the Regiment was compelled to abandon him in the ten and commenced the fight quite early. he managed to get into a waggon and go to the river, but then he was compelled to lay out on the ground all day & all night at night it rained nearly all night. he says that he got under a a waggon. but he and I lay within 100 yards of each other that night but I did not Know it. he also laid out the next night in the rain how he endured it I cannot tell, but he does not look so bad as I expected to see him he is in the same condition that he was last fall, and looks about as bad I have been trying to get his discharge papers, and think that I will succeed but it will take several days to do so perhaps weeks, and what troubles me it that we are almost certain to leave here in a few days and we cannot take him and I do not what to do with him he is not able to travel and I can not get him down the river without a pass and he cannot get a pass without a discharge I will do the best I can for him however, and will try and get him home. I think that he will be able to travel on the boats in a few days and if there is any hope I will try & get a pass for him, whatever I can do will be done for him, and you must tell Father & Mother to easy about him I think that he will be able to get home, but it is very doubtful. I must tell you about the fight. It commenced at about 4 oclock on Sunday the 6’ of April. We arrived at about 4 oclock in the morning, and entered the Battle at about 9 or 10, as that is the most as that is the most important to you I will describe it fast. we were drawn up in line of Battle, on the river and numbered about 900 men fit for duty. I had 85 men in line. we were then marched about 3 miles to the Seen of the action, on our right wing. we were led on by an inexperience orderly aid of somebodys, and fell upon the enemy before we were aware of their whereabouts, and while we were yet in an open field. the bullets fell thick and fast around us and the Crack of musketry and the roar of the Cannon in the woods beyond was very sever on raw troops like ours. and here we came very near pannick, but we stood the test better than afterwards. we then filed off to the left and got in to the woods. And formed our line within about 200 yards of the enemys line and opened fire on them we then fell on the ground and attempted to crawl up on them in order to give them a good fire and charge Bayonetts but after planting the flag 25 yards in advance and attempted to rally on the [colors is struck out] flag but just at this turn when I had my company in line around the flag [the regt is struck out] Col Reid fell badly wounded in the neck and the right wing of our Reg gave way that 2 Co A & F but were soon rallied by Lieut Col Dewey, and brought back in line but State they did not advance to suport me and the flag and after a vain attempt to get them forward to where [I was is struck out] the flag with my co. I was compelled to abandon the position that I had taken and formd again on the old line as soon however as this was attempted Cos A & F seeing the flag coming back, again broke in wild confusion and in spite of my efforts and also others to keep the companies up they all broake and run in wild disorder. I know that this is disgraceful, but the truth must be told, what ever may be said of me by others I know that I was the last man that left that field with the exception of John Kinsman and he and I left together. the rout did not commence however until after we had fought the enemy for two hours one of the hottest [illegible] of the day. the regiment lost 19 killed & about 125 wounded 2 of whome have died since. Among the killed are 2 com officers, and 2 that are known to be wounded & prisoners
the Killed are Lieut Hamilton of Co I & Lieut Penneman [Penniman] of Co A. the missing officers are Lieut Fisk Co G & Capt Hedrick Co K I lost one man killed C W Bardick [Burdick] a Shoemaker from Oskaloosa, and 14 wounded. the wounded are, David Hoff, Severely in the shoulder, C L Kirk Severely in the Leg I S Warner, Severly in the breast, (I fear mortally) Henry Bonell in the hand J T Timberel [Timbrell] in the arm, not very bad, Charles Johnson in the hand. Wm Brown in the hand. David Dervur [Devore] in the side Simon Autry Leg Jas Youngblood slightly in the leg – the rest of the wounded are of so slight a character that it is useless for me to mention their names.
I would like to discribe to you the battle but I am not competent to do so with any satisfaction to my self for the reason that I have not been posted as to how many troops were here on either side You know [line illegible] here long enough before the fight to be posted and since then all has been in confusion it is said however that Gen Grant had 35 thousand effective men engaged on Sunday, and that Gen Buell reinforced him on Sunday night with 30 thousand more making 65 thousand men engaged boath days, and I think the estimate is correct, but the fact is that Grant fought on Sunday and Buell on Monday. how many the Rebels had is very hard to tell but certainly it was not less than ours, and some say a great deal larger.
On Sunday I consider that we were defeated the Rebels commenced the fight 6 miles out from the river, and stedily drove our lines in all day and in spite of all our efforts we could not stop their advance, until night. when making a last stand at the river we sustained our line until night closed upon this terable day. and we laid down upon our armes, all night waighting for the attack in the mornig. Although I new Buell was to be there yet I felt confident that nothing would save us from all being taken prisoner, but the hardest fight was yet to come, on monday the fight again opened, and we drove them foot by foot right over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before. so confident were they that they would compel us to Surrender that they did not burn our tents in fact the prisoner that we took told us that, Boregard told them not to destroy the tents that they would soon have them all for their selves.
the troops under Gen. Johnston faught better than thoes under Boregard But they all faught better than ours did until they found that we were about to defeat them and then they ran like sheep
How many are killed and wounded it is imposible to tell, and it will never be known on Sunday they held possesion of the field and benea they did but on monday we got possesion & then we could have some idea how it stood I passed over the field on Tuesday where the hardest fight was and I am satisfied that they had as many killed on Monday as we had on boath days. I judge from the men laying on the field there taking in to consideration that [?] all they Killed on Sunday it looks to me as though they had at least 1/3 more killed then we had the battle occured in a heavy timbered Country, and many a life was sever by a tree. how I escaped without being touched god only knows
And whatever may be the report, that comes to you I know that I done my duty and I sincearly hop that this may end the war.
we are now in Gen Lauman brigade.
I can write no more
I am your obedient & faithful
Husband
James A Seevers
You may show this letter to will & he can copy such portion as will give information to the relatives of my boys, and have it published they all done well but I can not particularize now
Jas A Seevers
Captain James A. Seevers
Company C, 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Letter to wife, postmarked April 14, 1862 at Cairo, Illinois
Pittsburg Landing Tennessee River
April 14th, 1862
My Dear Wife
Your very Kind favor of the is at hand[.] I am very glad to know that you are still quite well, and also the rest of the family. I wrote you on the 8th or 9, but this was so soon after the Battle that I have some fiers that it never reach you as there was an order [pre a] that no letter should leave the camp for 10 days, but Shannon informs me that he sent it by a friend of his who was going to Cairo and that he would mail it there[.] should this be so you have undoubtedly received it by this time and your mind is easy [safe is struck out] so far as I am concerned. I am still quite well with the Exception of a Diarrea which is very prevalent in this camp owing to the mineral substance that is in the water. John is still about the same but must of course be growing weaker. I have just been with him to the Boat in order to get him to St Louis, but failed in doing so, the order was to take all the sick & wounded down to the river to the various Hospitals but by some mismanagement of the medical department there was not boats enough & [illegible] so we had to return to camp. I was carefull to hall him down in a lumber waggon & the roads was very bad and the ride has woried him very much I hop however that worthy service will be the result, but I have fears still I will strive to do all that lays in my power to get him on his way home. I still think that his discharge may come in a few days, if it should I shall make, an other effort to get him on his way home although I am hoping against hope, when I hope that he may reach home only to die. I would give anything in my power & God in his providence would save him from being berried in this cursed rebelious Soil. I would rather that his body may reach some state where it can be said she was ever loyal to the government he has fought so nobly to sustain[.] I had hoped that I could get him assigned to some Hospital at St Louis but have as yet failed thinking that if he could get that far, that perhaps he could be sent for; and again I have hoped that the Governor of Iowa with a Sanitary Commission would come to take care of the sick & wounded from Iowa but this prospect has failed. why it is that Ohio Indiana and Illinois and nearly all the other western states can send out their delegations to take care of the sick & wounded and Iowa cannot . certainly no troops ever fought better than Iowa troops, and no state is better represented here than Iowa there was 10 Iowa regiments in the fight numbering nearly 10,000 men. Iowa had at least 2500 men killed up, and 1000 wounded, in this fatal fight. certainly Iowas [paltrsm?] should show itself and come to our relief. She still maybe represented here, and I hop to god she may. nothing is more horable to my feelings than to contemplate the manner in which the sick & wounded has been treated since the battle. I sincerely hope to god that I may never see such sights again but I feel that I must go through just such sights again and that very soon. whether I will be safe after a nother battle feild or not is yet to be seen. how soon our next fight will be is impossible to tell but it is said that the Ribles are in force at Corinth 20 miles from here.
I would like to give you a discription of the Great Battle but I know that you have already Seen full particulars in the newspapers, and although I supposed that the newspapers were incorrect in relation to most of the Battles Yet I must admit that all the accounts that I have seen are in the main correct[.] In nearly all the accounts of this Battle that I have Seen, the correspondent has given the credit of this victory to General Grant. this is not right, all our loss on Sunday was by the bad management of Grant, and the victory was won by Gen Buell. to tell the truth and it must be told sooner or latter, Gen Grant and his whole army was as completely defeated on Sunday night, as ever the Army of the Potomic was at Bulls run, and as Wellington exclaimed at Waterloo, (I would to god that mighty Blucher would come,) Gen Grant could say thus at 3 Oclock on Sunday I would to God that night or Buell would come, but by the most super human effort held the enemy at Bay until night, but I never was to discouraged in my life, as I was about 4 Oclock, in the afternoon on Sunday. we were so completely whipped at this time that nothing appeared that could save us. The Rebels attacked us at daylight on Sunday and although our oughtpost was at least 6 miles from the river yet they drove in our pickets and attacked our main line at early daylight, and steadily drove our men in until we were all most ready to plunge into the river. nothing that I could see that would save us from an other Bull run, our men came rushing in by the thousand and thronged the River Bank. it was truly a terable sight to see. A mass of human beings 2 miles in length running at pell mell style for the river and the enemy in full pursuit. they look to me like perfect defeat, and in fact it was, but Gen Buell came over from the otherside of the river and made a speech, and said if we would out hold the army till night that he would whip him in the morning. a few straglers from the various regiments rallied and went upon the hill and planted a Battery and with the assistance of the Gunboats, kept them back until night. and such a night it was all was exhausted and all felt certain that we would all be prisoner in the morning. although I felt certain that Buell had thirty thousand men on the other side of the river and that he would get them all across before morning[.] Yet I had no confidence in success and consiquently laid down on the ground with about 20 of my men arround me, without a hope for the future. I felt that the strugle in the morning would be short but dreadful to contemplate, and that we were all certainly to be made prisoners. I never passed such a night in my life and I hope that I may never be compelled to do so again. I laid down with one of the boys and tried to sleep but could not I contemplated the future, and satisfied myself that, let come what would that I felt satisfied that I had done my duty and on that day, and that I should enter into the fight with as much Zeal on the morning as I did on that day but with much less hope. not a man around me but felt as I did, at about midnight the rain pored down on that [illegible] hoard not respecting friend or foe.
In the morning Gen Buell commenced the attack and for a long time the contest appeared doubtful, and up to 10 O’clock there could be no piceptial[?] distance gained but about that time the rebels began to fall back but in perfect good order, and as they fell back over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before, and they contested ever foot of the ground. it took us from early dawn in the mornig until 5 Oclock in the afternoon to drive them back over the same ground that they had driven us over the day before. at about 4 Oclock in the afternoon on monday the most desperate fight of the day commenced the rebels determined to make the last stand there and fought with a desperation only worthy a better cause but our men were too much for them and by 5 Oclock they were forced to flee, and leave the field in wild confusion. at this last place the ded rebels laid so thick that you could count 250 men and not leave any one position. counted 5 ded rebles behind one tree torn all to pieces by one Cannon Ball
I wrote Ben in my last letter a list of the Killed and wounded, which I wish you would have published. all our wounded have been sent to Savanna, and I have not heard from them Since, but I know they are well cared for and that makes me feel easy about them thoes that are Seriously wounded are I. S. Warner, David Hoff, C. Kirk, James Youngblood, and J. T. Timbrel the rest are not very badly hurt, and the only one of the above that I have any fear of loosing is I. S. Warner but when last heard from was doing very well but he is wounded in the breast, and is raley of a serious nature. I have some hop that the most of them will be home before long.
In the other Oskaloosa Co, I have not heard the names of the killed and wounded I have no doubt that others have written home. I know Capt Lulles[?] is wounded in the arm, but I do not think that his wound hurts him So much as his general debility and his wound together makes him look very bad. Capt Palmer is wounded in the [arm struck through] Shoulder, very severely, but is well care for Charley Wells is wounded in the arm, but not very badly. Creggy is also wounded but where I do not know. Charly Seanal is also wounded but where I do not know I think that he is a prisoner, but am not certain the 8 Reg was taken prisoner and Charly was with it at the time it is almost impossible to find our friends here or to tell what has been done with them. Judge Stone is a prisoner, and a capt [aud a?] in our regiment is a prisoner. I Know that you have already know more about the fight than I can tell you but you want a letter from me and I do not know what to write so I have writen you what I have If it is of any interest to you, I am satisfied for my trouble.
I am very glad to get a letter from you and it makes me feel that I am happy when I read them. I am truly thankful that my friend John Kinsman has saw fit to give me a good name, for I know that it will do you good to hear that my men are satisfied with my conduct towards them. nothing can be said that is too good of Johnny he is a noble Boy.
I know that you are not in a situation to attend to setting out my orchard but you can make sujestion and father if he is well can superintend it.
I hope that Bowen White will finish the house soon so that you can get to rent it
Tell Charly to be a good Boy and that Pa would be Glad to be at home and help him raise Piggs and take care of Ma.
You must excuse this letter boath in style and writing, for I have writen it in a hurry and on my lap at that.
I give you below a schech of the manner in which our forces were posted and also the enemy.
I am Your Very true and abel Husband
James A Seevers
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