Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863 to Elizabeth Smith
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04189.52 Author/Creator: Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863 Place Written: Bristow Station, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 August 1863 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope Height: 20.4 cm, Width: 25 cm Order a Copy
The regiment is once again on picket duty. He discusses losses to the regiment and the Battle of Gettysburg, "but I hope that we shall never get into another fight like that at Gettysburg Pa for it was awful beyond Discription I cannot discribe it with my pencil but if I do not get to come home myself this fall I will try to give you or Charley a slight sketch of it but I think you would not care to Read the details of the fight as it was. I will just say I sit on my knees by the side of Stone fence & loaded & fired my gun until I had blisters on my fingers as big as 10 cent peaces from Ramming down the loads & my gun was so hot I could not touch the Barrel with my hands & so was most the other I never wanted to load & shoot so fast in all my life before."
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