Franklin County: Franklin Rosenbery to John Abraham
Rosenbery (father), January 4, 1864
Summary:
Rosenbery mentions the snow and planned troop movement and then describes a
recent battle with the enemy.
January 4, 1864
Camp near Stephensville, Virginia
Dear Father:
As I have not much time to write I will hurry and scribble a few lines to you. I am well. Hoping that these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing of health.
It is snowing today. I expect that we must move our camp tomorrow General Hancock thinks that this is an unhealthy place.
As I mentioned in my letter something about the 6th Corp suffering. The 6th supported the 3rd. It was the 3rd that suffered. They were on our left. It was stated that 600 were killed and wounded and missing but out of this number there was only 60 killed. I cannot tell how many wounded.
Our line of battle was about 7 miles long at one time. I thought that the 2nd Corps would have to fight but we got off quite lucky--We were laying as reserves when our artillery opened on the rebel's train. We were that close that the smoke of the powder soon over-showered us.
Some of the rebel shells came whistling that it made me dodge my head-the same as a sheep when the flies got bad.
On Friday the 27th firing commenced. Along the skirmish line we were back as reserve. Firing was kept up from 9 in the morning till in the evening.
Saturday it was raining. We was in a miserable muddy place in a line of battle. Then our men shelled rebel's train. We laid down on Pine Brush for the night.
The next morning we had to march without breakfast. We marched to the right of our line. Monday night we slept on a hill in line of Battle, near Orange. This was an awful cold night. We were woken up at 12 o'clock. We marched a short distance where we were put in front on the picket line.
On Monday Morning about 8 o'clock the rebels opening their pieces of Artillery on us. Soon we got orders to lay down.
Then we could hear the canons thunder. Their shells flew over us. At first I thought if the shells would come hopping along they would tear a person in two so I thought it safe to stand up. But they flew over us so I felt safer to lay down. Shelling did not last long.
But I tell you that I hated the sharp shooters' bullets the worst. They would come zip-zip-zip. So sneaking and they came pretty close. If ever I felt like hugging the ground, I felt that way when I could hear a shell sailing over me. I felt as though they were determined to kill if they could.
We lay on that picket line 3 days and almost 3 nights. Then we fell back to our old camp that night....all night and the next day all day.
I have no time to write more. I have a book that I keep to mark such things in. If I can see an opportunity I will give you a history of my travels.
The mail will soon start out.
Your son,
Franklin D. Rosenbery
