Franklin County: Samuel M. Potter to Cynthia Potter,
March 2, 1863
Summary:
Potter explains how he lost his horse during a skirmish with Confederate
soldiers.
Cynthia Potter
March 2nd 1863
Camp 16th Pa Cavalry Near Falmouth Va
Dear Cynthia
Yours of the 21st has been received & I am glad to know that you are all well. Josey will take his medicine and get better I hope so that he can welcome his Pa when he gets home. Pa will take Jimmy to rest Lucy some day & then take Bell upon his knee & get them to sing to him while Josey & Lucy are playing. Well the horse that I have had for some time is in the hands of the rebels & I will tell you how it happened. George McDavid & a lot of others were going out about 6 miles on picket duty. George had lent his horse & it was out. So he borrowed mine & went out. Well on last Wednesday the rebels came in & took some of the outsides pickets prisoner & then rushed in the rest. The last account of George was that he, Newton Minton, a young Howell, Mattox & Will Chester & some others that you are not acquainted with were retreating behind the rebels when another party of the rebs came in at the side between two of our men, a young Winget & a man from Green Co. by the name of Boord who got shot in the arm & these two got away. The last they had seen of the rest George had turned with his pistol to shoot those who were coming behind. They have not been heard of since & it is natural to suppose that they were taken prisoner. The last account of James Roney was that he was retreating as fast as he could with the rebs close behind when his horse stumbled & threw James & he is a prisoner too I presume, as our men soon rallied & drove the rebs back found none killed on the ground for miles except a rebel Private. The skirmish extended over a good deal of ground. & there was more fighting that I have not got a clear account of. The result of it was one man in our regiment got shot through the chest & died in a few days, two men in Co K wounded in the arm, Boord & a Joseph Dunn & one man wounded in Co I taken prisoner the rebs got 47 of our men of our regiment & most of their hourses, while our men killed one rebel one the spot wounded a Lieutenant who died the next day & also wounded a rebel surgeon who died in a few days, wounded one man in the leg who will probably die wounded one in the jaw who will probably get well & took a Captain prisoner so you see that although the rebels were driven off they got more prisoners than we did. Well we are getting along in the Hospital as usual the same routine every day putting up medicine for the sick, looking into the cook house to see how they are getting along, then go into the Hospital to see that the fires are kept up & if everything is in good order & the sick get their medicine. I would like to hear Joseys speach on the last day of school to see him stand up & speak right out & when Lucy goes to Emma Bell in the summer she can get a speech too & say it on the last day of school. I suppose Bell will be too young & little to go to school in the summer she can learn her ABCs at home I would like to hear them all reading. Can Jimmy say his ABCs yet. Bell & Lucy can teach them. Well Cynthia I dont know about getting home when it will be. Maybe I will have a good chance to get off after awhile but until then I will be home every night & day in my dreams & thoughts to hear my little ones all say their prayers as they lay down in their beds & to be with you in your cares & to share them with you & to enjoy the pleasure of your company & endeavor daily to increase your happiness. Still carrying you all to a throne of Grace
I still remain your most affectionate husband & Father & brother
S. M. Potter
Sister Janey
You send me your love & it is
still remembered. Kind sister may God bless you for your kindness.
