DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Andrew F. Davis papers, 1862

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05_1862-10-16-Page 01

In Camp 6 miles S. E. from Crab Orchard Ken 
Oct. 16th 1862 
Mrs. Sarah Davis 
My dear wife 
When I last wrote to you I was at Springfield and I then Said that we ware expecting a fight evry day with Bragg  At noon that day we started forward and in the eveng had to leave the main road or pike and go considerably out of our way so as to get water.  We did not reach the water until midnight.  We lay there until noon and then Started forward again regaining the pike in 2 or 3 miles travel and about 3 Oclock we heard the report of Cannon ahead of us and marched quickly onward and when we ware within 3 miles of Perrysville we left the road and took across the fields to the left and went about one mile and halted and formed a line of battle and then moved forward and had proceeded that way about one mile when we ware fired upon by the enemy artillery who we discovered about 1/2 miles ahead of us  Our Skirmshers ware thrown out and our Battery got into position immediately and opened on them and the Rebs immediately fell back without giveing our infantry time to come within range.  We advanced about 1/2 mile further and it being by this time dark we lay down on our arms until morning  
We ware up early and on the look out for the enemy but they ware no where to be seen having Skedaddled during the night We now leared for the first time that we had just arrived in time the evening before to turn the tide in our favor of a Sever and bloody battle  We ware sent in line in the centre and bloody work was done on both sides of us and the enemy we met and repulsed ware making a movement to come onto the right flank of Rasoon and had they succeeded they no doubt would have whipped

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In Camp 6 miles S. E. from Crab Orchard Ken Oct. 16th 1862 Mrs. Sarah Davis My dear wife When I last wrote to you I was at Springfield and I then Said that we ware expecting a fight evry day with Bragg At noon that day we started forward and in the eveng had to leave the main road or pike and go considerably out of our way so as to get water. We did not reach the water until midnight. We lay there until noon and then Started forward again regaining the pike in 2 or 3 miles travel and about 3 Oclock we heard the report of Cannon ahead of us and marched quickly onward and when we ware within 3 miles of Perrysville we left the road and took across the fields to the left and went about one mile and halted and formed a line of battle and then moved forward and had proceeded that way about one mile when we ware fired upon by the enemy artillery who we discovered about 1/2 miles ahead of us Our Skirmshers ware thrown out and our Battery got into position immediately and opened on them and the Rebs immediately fell back without giveing our infantry time to come within range. We advanced about 1/2 mile further and it being by this time dark we lay down on our arms until morning We ware up early and on the look out for the enemy but they ware no where to be seen having Skedaddled during the night We now leared for the first time that we had just arrived in time the evening before to turn the tide in our favor of a Sever and bloody battle We ware sent in line in the centre and bloody work was done on both sides of us and the enemy we met and repulsed ware making a movement to come onto the right flank of Rasoon and had they succeeded they no doubt would have whipped