Augusta County: James B. McCutchan to his Cousin, October 29,
1862
Summary:
McCutchan describes a skirmish near Shepherdstown in which his brigade was heavily shelled
and had to retreat to Bunker Hill.
Oct. 29th 1862
Camp in Clark County - Near Berryville
Dear Cousin,
I don't remember whether I answered your last letter or not. but don't think I did I reckon you think that I am a very careless kind of fellow, well I acknowledge that - I am. I will just tell you how it is, I have almost
quit writing letters and I scarcely know who I do owe letters. I
have found time to write home and that is about all, we have been moving about so much, and are so poorly fixed when we are in camp that one has no
satisfaction at all in writing. I have made out to write home occasionaly and that is about
all. We have a pretty nice camp now, and I will try and write some letters. We came to this
place yesterday, came from Bunker Hill. I am very well satisfied with the change if they will
let us stay here. We are camped in a large and
beautiful forest, and in a beautiful and wealthy country. Well we have have had a pretty hard
time of it for the last two or three weeks. It consisted in marching tearing up and burning
railroad, burning public buildings (in Martinsburg) fighting &c. Our Brigade had a
pretty sharp little fight on the 19th near Shepherdstown, but the yankees
were too strong for us, so we had to retreat. not much [unclear: don] on either side.
we lost several men killed and some wounded none in our company. They
shelled us at a tremendous rate. I
thought at one time that we would nearly all be cut down but we got orders to retreat in time.
our dead was left in the field, but were got and buried the next day. We had a terrible time
that night. It got dark soon after the fight
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was over and it was not long until it
commenced raining very hard then it got dark indeed. The 4th and 5 companies of the 5th
regiment was cut off from the rest of the Brigade and had to retreat on a different road. We
marched on through the dark, mud and rain, until we got within two miles of Bunkerhill when we
received orders to march back about 5 miles and throw out pickets. We started back and had
gone about two miles when Colonel Williams,
(who was in command) found that the men could not stand it much longer, stopped and sent a
dispatch on to know what to do. Then received orders to camp or go on to Bunker Hill. we had
then made fires so stayed all night. Started in the morning, stiff, sore and hungry. got to
camp cooked a days rations and started to Martinsburg that evening, had a big time down there.
Oh how I wish that I could be with you for a while. I know I could tell you more than I can
write and I know that it would interest you a great deal more. We will have to be content with
things as they come, perhaps there is a better time coming for some of us it is to be hoped any
way. We have no war news now everything is quiet. It seems that we are doomed to stay in camp
another winter. It is beginning to feel a good deal like winter now. The nights are pretty
cold, cold enough to have tents, don't know whether we are going to get any or not. Well I must
stop for the present I hope I will find time to write oftener hereafter. Give my love to all
inquiring friends, reserve a portion for yourself. Write soon and Direct to Winchester
As ever your Affectionate cousin
Ja's B. McCutchan
[note added by recipient] Rec'vd Nov 11 1862 Pa brought it from the [deleted: ]
