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- GLC#
- GLC04189.49-View header record
- Type
- Letters
- Date
- 1863/7/10-11
- Author/Creator
- Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863
- Title
- to Elizabeth Smith
- Place Written
- Antietam, Maryland
- Pagination
- 2 p. : envelope.
- Primary time period
- Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
- Sub-Era
- The American Civil War
Describes the Battle of Gettysburg. Smith was stationed in the Union center near a stone wall. Smith's regiment may have missed the first day's battle because he writes Pickett's Charge occurred on the second day. "We was in the front & center for 3 days & nights it Rained every day & night. 2 nights I lay or sit in water about 6 inches deep by the side of a Stone fence that was of good use to us for protection against their Balls there was a powerful effort made on the centre the Second day after they had tried the Right & Left & been Repulsed in both they had 160 cannons firing on the Centre at one time that partly stopped & then the infantry came in Solid lines 3 in number we held our fire & lay Behind the Stone fence until they come within easy Range & then we opened on them & we cut them down by thousand so much so that the ground was literly covered with dead & wounded as far as we could see our loss in the centre was light Some of the wounded had to lay on the field 48 hours as the Rebel sharpshooter would not let us take them off."
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