Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892 to Parents
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09355.071 Author/Creator: Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892 Place Written: Gaines Hill, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 9 June 1864 Pagination: 8 p. : envelope Height: 20.2 cm, Width: 12.6 cm Order a Copy
As he is neither on duty nor cooking, has some time to write. There is not much firing going on alone the lines at the moment. "Now both armies lay facing each other." Both sides fire 20 or 30 cannons over the course of 24 hours and have made heavy fortifications. "They rake our camp [with] every shot." When the shells come, "we all make a grand rush for the breastworks just like a pack of frightened rabbits going for their holes." Did not have anything to eat the other night. Found a group of "dead beats" - soldiers who take jobs such as cooking for an officer in order to stay away from the front - and saw they had food. Luckily, a shell came flying in towards the group of dead beats, sending them fleeing in all directions and leaving the food. Brought the food back to his tent, hid it, and then returned to the breast works. "We have not been out of rations since." Likes to think of what happened as good military strategy. Made a mistake earlier and got up between the picket line and his tent just as the Confederates opened fire. Fortunately was unhurt. "The Provost Marshal won't let us go up unless they are pretty quiet," which generally keeps him out of danger. There have been "3 or 4" flags of truce flown, and the two sides have agreed not to fire after dark. When the flag of truce is out, "our men and the Johnnies meet each other, shake hands, and talk with each other, but soon as the flag goes in they get back into their holes and begin to pop at each other." Ed Bridgman is working as an assistant nurse at the regiment hospital. Has not heard from Elisha, but that likely means he is doing well.
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