Editor’s Note: This item is part of a collection of letters and diary entries from soldiers of the 8th New York Heavy Artillery written while the unit was at the Siege of Petersburg. Researcher and author Kathryn Lerch generously donated all of the items in this collection for use at The Siege of Petersburg Online.
Lieut. T. J. Dean Letter July 9, 18641
July 9th 1864
In the Field near Petersburg Va
Dear Friends
I take pen in hand to inform you that I am well and enjoying life as well as could be expected from a soldier in front of the enemy. We are here yet whare I last wrote. we are haveing quite a rest. nothing new worthey of note. only night before last the Rebs made an attact on Byrnsides darkies a little on our right and got whiped. the Rebs got piled up like cutting grass. our men opened on them with a cross fire of grape and cannister. not much loss on our side. we took a lot of prissoners. Our Boys like to have the Rebs charge on them. we always whip them like fun. . . .
The Soldier Boy Lieut T J. Dean
The weather is very dry no rain since the 3rd of June not enough at aney time to lay the dust.
Source:
- In possession of Kathryn W. Lerch and part of manuscript history of Eighth New York Heavy Artillery 1862-1865 ↩