CLIPPING

Letter from Alex Davis to A.A. Earle
Orleans Independent Standard, August 5, 1864

From the 39th Colored Reg’t. 1st Brig. 4th Div. 9th Army Corp, Front of Petersburg, July 28. 1864.

Friend Earle: Having an hour of leisure, I think I will devote it to giving my friends in Orleans County some idea of “colored life,” which I have been leading since the first of last April.

Time and space will not allow me to give a detailed account of all our marches and counter-marches from the time that we left Camp Birney at Baltimore Md., to the present time, where I find myself front of Petersburg, Va., and so near the ‘Johnnies’ that the detestable minie balls go whizzing past and screaming shells burst over our heads, to the decided discomfiture of us all. We are not in the front line, but are employed in doing fatigue work required at the front.

Very heavy works are now being constructed, and the light of each morning shows the astonished ‘rebs’ some new battery, ready at a given signal to open with shot and shell upon the doomed city of Petersburg. We have mortars and 64-pound gun batteries within 1600 yards of the city that never yet have fired a shot, and presume they will not until we make our ‘grand assault,’ which will be one of these days, or nights, when Gen. Grant gets ready.

I would not have any one think that we are doing all the heavy work, or that our neighbors are for one moment idle. No, they have a long line of works extending to the right and left as far as the eye can reach, and have something behind them too, as I well know from my yesterday’s experience; was out to the front with about 50 men throwing up a “covered way” to screen men from view who were moving in to the front lines. The rebels could not drive us away so they tossed over some mortar shells which did no harm, only made the boys get all dirty throwing themselves into the ditch; and I might add, there was a certain pair of shoulder straps went low, and would have gone still lower if possible.

Just now all seems quiet, but within ten minutes some sharpshooter may see a head and discharge his piece; then another will reply, then a dozen, then a whole battalion will rise up and fire. That is provocation enough for one or two batteries to open; then mortar shells go circling through the air from both lines, which has a cooling effect, as they are most destructive and send the men into their holes. All is again quiet, and judging from the present, you would not think that, two hours ago, lead and iron were whizzing, whistling, screeching and bursting in every conceivable way among our ranks. Thus we spend our time, dodging shells and making the rebels dodge. Once in a while a man dodges too quick or too slow, and that makes it bad for him for if he gets in the way he invariably gets hit. Every day some of our men are killed while doing fatigue work but we do not hear any murmuring, or detect any disposition to shrink from duty. Of the fighting quality of our division I cannot speak, as we have never been brought face to face with the enemy, but I have full confidence in them, as when under fire, they have always exhibited true courage, not flinching in the least when duty demanded.

I received a letter from O.T. Stiles last week. He was then at Portsmouth Grove Hospital, R.I. He had nearly recovered from his wound received at Chancellorsville, and I think he is now with his regiment. He has a commission in a colored regiment also a good prospect for one in the fifth. He will, of course, take a commission in the old regiment rather than in the colored. Capt. Daniel Mason is well and enjoying life, as he always had the faculty of doing. Dan and I were a little home sick when we knew the 6th Corps had gone to Maryland, and we could not go with them; but we are over that now. We learn the corps is coming back, and had no pleasurable trip to Washington and back on crowded transports.

My captain has just been here and says the 2d Corps, under Gen. Hancock, and our cavalry, are on the north side of the James and close to Richmond.

I hope all will prove true but I do not believe anything I hear now except shells bursting or minie balls whizzing. I have some friends in Orleans County that I would like to hear from. Please tell them to write. If any of the farmers want ‘field hands’ let them apply to me, as “when this cruel war is over” I shall have all that are left out of 101 to turn over. I have a large job now on hand and need them all. Also, in case of my not having help enough, I shall ask “Abe” to send me some young men from Vermont to assist. This will be considered a warning. I should not put them in with my help, because they do not love to associate with “poor white trash.” Alex. W. Davis.