Letter From Capt. C.W. Gibbs, 44th Regiment, To His Father; Albany Evening Journal, July 8, 1863
Dear Father- Yours of the 10th was received, while we were camped near Frederick City, June 27th. I don't know how soon I can get this mailed, but I suppose you are all anxious to know of my whereabouts, safety, &c. I believe I wrote to you while we were at Banks' Ford, fore part of June, and since then we have been on the move continually. I would write you the daily movements, but I have not the space or time, as we may be called on to move forward at any moment. You may ask why I don't write oftener, but when one has marched all day and hardly able to put one foot before the other when night comes, you would excuse me. Another reaon, we have had no chance to send out any mail.
I received three letters from Albany, June 27th, the only mail I have received in a month, and this is the only chance I have had to write, we being the reserve to the Sixth Corps, whose line is about 200 yards to our front, and are engaged with the Rebels at present time, and have been all day. Day before yesterday we were at Union Mills, broke camp at 10 A.M., marched to Hanover, rested till sundown, then marched to within three miles of our present position, bivouacked about 12 P.M., was in line by 3 A.M., and marched two miles, rested till about 10 A.M. and then was sent to the front, marched about one and a-half miles, and got into position; had hardly formed in line, when the Rebels were on us. They charged to within fifty yards of our line, and then had to retreat. We were on a side hill, covered with large rocks, which our boys used as breast works, and oh, how we did pepper them; but they cut us up quite badly after all.
A little after sundown the firing ceased, and I was ordered to take my company out as skirmishers. I advanced them so far as to cover the Rebel wounded. It was horrid to be there. The Rebels lay scattered all around, dead, dying, and wounded. I was relieved about midnight, and got about two hours sleep. Was relieved by our battle line, the first brigade of our division, and marched to this place.
The following is a list of our killed, wounded and missing, which I send for publication:-
Co. A-Killed- Corporal Joseph Kraft, Privates Chester Smith, John Look, John Simons. Wounded- Sergeants Allen J. Hard, E.L. Harris, James Storms; Corporals William G. Cunningham, Henry C. Kendall; Privates Julian Knowlton, Jacob Wagoner, Henry White, Robert C. Barnes, Henry Brail, William Day, Ferdinand Bennett, Lewis Ferrard, Thomas Hurst, John Steele, George G. Conger, Sherwood Cheeseman.
Co. B-Killed- Capt. Lucian Larrabee, Private Peter Burs. Wounded- Sergt. Isaac B. Blackman, Corp. Hugh Gallagher, Privates E. Eastbrooks, Wm. R. Howland, Jerry Scott, Thomas Griffiths, Richard Ganley. Missing-Corp. Joel T. Brooks, Privates Peter Sheffer, John Doring.
Co. C-Killed- Corp. Richard McElligott, Private Francis M. Griswold. Wounded- Capt. Bennet Munger, Sergt. Geo. W. Hobart, Privates James Dansenbury, H. Houghton, R.C. Phillips, M.F. Braham, Wm. W. Smith, Wm. N. Norris.
Co. D-Killed- Sergts. E.L. Dunham, S.S. Skinner, Private Daniel Casey. Wounded- Corp. John E. Bamby, Privates Wm. G. Beach, John Butler, Joel Hays, Henry L. Todd, Jas. White, Alonzo Shepherd.
Co. E-Killed- Privates Scott Munson, George B. Wolcott, Leander Burnham. Wounded- Sergeant Charles E. Sprague, Corporals Thompson Barrack, Helm Thompson; Privates Delos Thompson, Benjamin Thompson; Eliot Traver, Andrew J. Chaffe, Aaron Esmay.
Co. F-Killed- James McGee, David Nash, Francis G. Leroy. Wounded- Sergt. Charles H. Zeilman, Sergt. John Downing, Privates Junius Mallery, Henry E. Stevens, Jacob Rauscher,Richard A. Carey.
Co. G-Killed- 1st Sergt. Edgar A. Merchant, Corporal Jesse White, Private Webster S. Dugan. Wounded- Sergt. F.B. Schutt, Corporal H.D. Wigg, Privates P. Hallenbeck, Enoch H. Lee, M.D. Igersoll, A.G. Seaford.
Co. H-Killed- Wm. I. Goodman. Wounded- Corp. W.L. Maxon, Chas. H. Blair and John A. Brackett; Privates John H. Schermerhorn, Samuel Risley, Wm. L. Goodrich, Lewis Ells, Willis Morse.
Co. I-Killed- Privates John M. Jones, Theodore A. Byrne. Wounded-Capt. Chas. F. Ballou, Privates Charles H. Carpenter, Seth T. Coles, Wm. Ekerson, John Wagoner.
Co. K-Killed- Cornelius Story, John Lanty. Wounded- Capt. W.R. Bourne, Lieut. B.N. Thomas; mortally, Corp. I. H. Rake, Privates Geo. Sutfin, Geo. Green, Albert Reed. Missing- Privates Privates John Groot, W. Lawrence, Anthony Baker, John Muskin.
I believe it foots up 111 killed, wounded and missing. Our boys all fought nobly.
I found some wounded Rebel officers down in the woods. They said the brigade that made the charge consisted of three regiments from Alabama and one from Texas, and that it was the first time they ever had to retreat. I told them the brigade and regiments they fought with, and they seemed glad that they were repulsed by old troops, as they were told they were to charge on militia. They found out their mistake.
We took 200 prisoners. It makes one feel good to have possession of a battle field, but sad to think of the sacrifice. Just think of it, we went in with 300 men in our regiment and 111 were killed, wounded and missing.
Your affectionate son, Charles