July 8th, 1862
Camp near Harrisons Bar July 8./62
My Dear Mother
I wrote you a note some days / ago telling you of my safety. I have seen since / that I am mentioned as wounded. I have / to assure you again that I am unhurt. /
On the day before(?) the
fight at McChanicsville Genl. Griffin / assumed command of our
Brigade at 2 oclock. I went / back to our regiment and col. Black appoin- / -ted
one acting adjutant but just as I was (under / order of Col Black) marching out
the regiment / I was ordered to report to Genl. Griffin and / as
acting aid, and I have been with him since / And as I am now entitled to
drop the acting / and sign myself a “Bona fide” Aid-De-Camp. I /
argue that I have succeeded in doing my duty / in the three hard battles & one
skirmish that / we have gone throug in one week well enough / to the
satisfaction of my General that he thus / appoints me permanently. I lived a
long / time in that one week of hard work hard fighting no / rest and little to
eat. Col. Black fell in our / second battle, I was close to him but a moment /
before he fell, but was called away, and in / a few moments more I found him
dead. The regiment was pressing on and some of / the men were gathered around
him. I told them / to go on & some they did. It was the last time / I
saw him and there. In him has gone a / good brave soldier and a
faithful friend. /
I was offered by the Genl. a Captains / commission on the appointment of Aid-De-Camp/
I did not like to be a capt and be assigned to a / strange Co, besides I can have an opportunity of/
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seeing & learning more on the staff, and too / it is a little more prominent a position, and the / service is not quite so hard. I mention / this that you may know that I have tried to / do my duty, and that my commanders are / pleased, for it is reasonable to suppose if / they thought I had not merited anything that I / would have had no offers of advancement/
I like Genl. Griffin very much and / he is a brave man. He assumed command / of the Brigade at 2. Oclock and at 5 oclock / the same day we were in the fight at McChanics / -ville. our Brigade relieved part of McCall’s Division / The 4th Mich relieved the 5 Penn. & the 14th / N.Y. a part of the Bucktails. the 4th Mich / lost some 30 men that evening but that / was but a beginning of our losses. Our Brigade / lost 936 in killed & wounded & 1165 in killed / wounded & missing, over 45 per cent of our / whole no engaged.
Jim Penney was here hunting me / the other day but I was off on duty / and I could not get to see him.
It is very warm here. A little / hotter than I ever saw it.
I am busy now and cant / write more now. Give / my love to all and send / this letter to Mag
Yours aff…
Gus
