Flinn, John William (fl. 1863) to A.M. Flinn
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04573.04 Author/Creator: Flinn, John William (fl. 1863) Place Written: Rapidan River, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 9 August 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 22.6 x 17.5 cm. Order a Copy
Spent three weeks as a prisoner at Fort Delaware. Has not heard from his family since he returned to camp. While at Fort Delaware, his father had come to camp to visit and went home without knowing the fate of his son. He discusses the losses from Battle of Gettysburg, " the hardest battle that has ever been fought on this continent," and lists a page and a half of friends and comrades who lost their lives in Pennsylvania. Flinn was ill during the battle.
John William Flinn was a member of the 17th Mississippi Infantry in Barksdale's (Humphrey's) Brigade, McLaw's (Kershaw's) Division.
[excerpt]
August the 9th 1863
Rapidann River Va.
My Dear Father…[2]…There was 16 prisoners thair and more than half of them were sick, 9 was taken sick when the battle of gettysburg it was fought it was the hardest battle that has ever been fought on this continent our loss was very heavy and that of the yankes still heavier ours in killed wounded and prisoner was betwen 15 and 20 thousand and that of the yankes not less than 30 thousand we took 12 000 prisoners the fighting lasted 3 days The 1 and 2nd we drove them back several miles the 3rd day we attacked them they received heavy reinforcements and having a very strong position we did not succeed in driving them we held the battle part of the [3] the next day and then fell back across the Potomac our Regiment lost 219 men whitch was half of the men we had our co lost 29 killed and wounded the killed are Billie Crawford Tho Smith
…Billie Crawford was shot through the hip and the ball ranged up into his bowells he did not live long after [inserted: he was shot] among the wounded are Frank Wells Sol Siles…Joe Flow was shot through the right arm passed into his body Henderson was shot in the leg close to the knee Baronett was shot in the arm and was not a very bad wound it was thought that Joe Flow would die but we got a letter from Smith Estes yesterday the boys were getting along finely they had all got able to walk about and have good hospital and are well taken care of they are on davids island new york the name of their post ofice is pelham. [4]…Dick lived some time after [struck: she] he was wounded Tom Mcnely and ike Smith were both killed imediately Tom was shot through the heart Ike was shot through the neck men never fought braver than did our men at the battle of gettysburg They all fought to the last and did not stop for nothing we broke four lines of battle with only one line [struck: of] we brought a great many horses and cattle out of pennsylvania The boys all lived high while over there…
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