Ross Family Letters, RG
149
York Town Va
April 29th
AD 1862
Dear Bro
Not having
the opportunity of writing to you sooner I seat myself this evening to drop you
a few lines to let you know where I am and that I am well and traveling around
generally. Your most welcome letter was received a few days ago and I was glad
to hear that it left you all well. I guess that you have heard of our accident
on the rail-road when we were coming from Orange C.H. to this place-but I will
give you sketch of it any way. I suppose that the conductor on our train was to
blame as it was telegraphed to him to stop at Hanover Station and wait for the
train that was meeting us to pass they also had out at this place a signal
light but he passed on away as he said that the brakemen were all asleep and
would not let them down. When the collision took place we were traveling only
at tolerable speed but just before we were going at the rate of 50 miles per
hour. Our company was in next to the front box and it being a strong one was
all that saved it--nearly all of our officers were in the front box, it was a
new one which was all that prevented it from being torn to pieces, every seat
in the first three or four boxes was torn up. The box just behind us ran into
ours some 7 or 8 feet this is what the most of the boys in our company but none
of them was hurt seriously. We had in our company some 10 or 12 wounded Lieut
Saxon, Henry Philips, and G.W. Beeland being the worst, Saxon is now well in
camps and I reckon will start for home in a day or two, so will Capt Kennedy
& Lieut Philips. Capt Gordons Company was in the 3rd box over 40 of his men
were wounded and two of his men killed, besides a little boy about 5 years old,
one of the men was killed instantly the other died in a few days afterwards,
John Trammell was in this box but escaped. We are now stationed near Fort
Magruder in about 1¼ miles of York-Town and when we first came here the Yankees
were in 600 yds of us but they have since fallen back after killing two and
wounding several of our Regt, you do not know any of the men. We have been
looking for an attack every day since we have been here but times are
apparently less squally now than they were at first. They have attacked our
line in about 2 miles of us several times and have been repulsed as often with heavy
loss. They succeeded on the 16th inst
in capturing one of our bateries but it was retaken right away with several
prisoners reported to be 200, but I have not seen any one that saw that, No,
They throw a few bumbshells at us every day but none of them has done our Regt
any damage yet but they have killed a few men and several horses on the
Peninsula
The 14th Ala
is encamped in two miles of us I have been to see Jack twice since we have been
here, he is well I am looking for him to visit our Regt. to day. The receipt
that is in the possessing of D.A. Shannon against the $75.00 note is all
correct. Please answer this as soon as, you can and let me know how you all are
geting along and what the people in Ala think of the conscript Law. My advice
to you is to hire a substitute and for you to remain at home for a life spent
in camps is a hard one certain. besides you have a farm and can make wheat
& corn for the soldiers to eat. Give my respects to all of our friends and
rest assured that I am as ever
Your
affectionate Bro
G.W. Ross
W.L.
Rowe is now Capt of this company A.A. Scott Ist Lieut. Rad Slaughter 2nd G.W.
Spinks 3rd, Anthong Hale lst Sargt John Johnson 2nd Milton Glaze 3rd your
humble Servt 4th D.C. Armstrong 5th Shipman lst Cor Knight 2nd Jones
3rd Delbridge 4th