Dearest Mother
Your last is received! We have just come
in from another long raid or ride down the Valley of about
one hundred and thirty miles, as soon as we arrived in camp
most of the boys received their mail of several letters each.
It almost gave me the blues to not get any, and I nearly
came close to the cracking thinking [?] on folks at home had forgotten
your "Soldier boy". There was four long weeks that I didn't
hear a word from any one; but on Christmas Eve the long
longed for missing came to hand; yours with the V. one from
James and Lizzie, one from Jennie and one from Mrs. Lent with a Hamilton
paper! I tell you they made me a good Christmas present. I
heard news enough to last me a week. I am feeling as
good as ever, and if anything a little better: The money you sent
was a god-send indeed. I had been without some time and had
[p.2]
to borrow a little: I would have had enough if I hadn't lent
$5.00 to A.L. Cunningham, he, by the way is absent from the Co.
and has not been heard from in several days; he is probably
in Winchester. The V. you sent came at an opportune
time. Yesterday (Christmas) I left the co. for a little
while. I went with Barnes out in the country where
he was acquainted, we had quite a visit with two
young ladies, who were most awfully secesh, but they
got us up a big dinner; it did seem strange indeed
to sit down and eat on croc[k]ery. On our last
we went quite a distance below New Market. we went
by the place where we had our second fight and where
we got whipped; there is a reb. hospital near the battlefield.
Mr. Erdman went in and learned from the surgeon that Wm. P.
Abbey was brought in the day of the fight but died the
next morning: poor Bill. he and I rode side by side most
[p.3]
of the day. it was quite cold, and I lent him the gloves you
sent me (reserving for myself a pair of buckskins I purchased at
Elmira; he was wounded through the left lung; the boys
carried him almost off the field, but the reb. infantry made
us hunt our holes so fast that they were obliged to leave
him; our co. was dismounted in the woods. I took command of the
horses, and there I was not in so much danger; but when
our boys retreated I was obliged to take the horses back to them;
one poor fellow says he owes his life to me; Passed Capt.
Remington as I went back with my horses; the bullets were
flying uncomfortably close, and when I returned the Capt. was
wounded; some of our boys had balls go through their clothes
and strike all about them. On our last raid down the
valley we went below New Market, and halted for the
night. we did some pretty tall foraging on the rebs, about
there, you son if he knows himself, procured all that
[p.4]
was necessary for him and his horse to eat; but, just after
reveille, and fortunately, after the boys had "saddled up"
the rebs broke through our picket line and charged right
into our camp in three columns; we were in our
saddles in a second, and ready for them: it did seem quite
amusing to me, to see those Jonnies come down on us, so
full of hope, but we never budged: They wavered, and
then it was our turn to charge, and with yells we "hurled
them back"' and I participated in my second Cav. charge.
They captured all of our artillery, and ambulances, and about
thirty of our boys , but we soon retook all, and fifty rebs
besides. They stripped our men and acted so mean that
some of our boys didn't take any prisoners. They drop[p]ed them.
Our boys are feeling quite discouraged about their commissions.
The Copperheads have been put in command, and they are privates.
They always have been. Write soon. From you affect. Son Hervey.
Letter accompanied with an envelope postmarked 6 Jan. Washington, D. C. and addressed to:
Mrs. Emily E. Goodrich
Fayetteville
Onon. co.
N.Y.
The "second fight" was the expedition to Lacey Springs as described in the Official Records. Brig. Gen. George A. Custer, Commanding Officer.
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