Civil War Letter from 10th NY Cavalry, December 1862,

Oxford Times, January 7, 1863 

From the 10th N.Y. Cavalry, Camp near Fredericksburg, December 14th, 1862

Dear Times - As these are stirring times here with the whole army of the Potomac, and as we form a small portion of it at this time, and are now at the scene of action, where one of the greatest of modern battles is being fought, I thought perhaps a few lines from us might be interesting to your readers.  On the 9th instant, at ten P.M., we received our orders to take three days Rations and report to Gen. Bayard's Headquarters at nine A.M., on the tenth.  We struck our tents or rather our Blankets, as we have not been troubled with that luxury since we left Alexandria, and got our breakfast, fed our horses, rolled our blankets and strapped them to our saddles.  At 8 A.M., we started to General Bayard's Headquarters. By the way, the General is a small man, and was yesterday mortally wounded, having his left leg shot off close to the body.  He was a brave officer, and beloved by his command, and will be a sad loss to our branch of the service and hard to replace. We then received orders to report forthwith to Gen. Reynolds Headquarters. As a provision Guard we started at about 10 A.M.  and arrived at the General's Headquarters about 6 o 'clock, and the next day the 11th, the great battle opening at 3 A.M., on the part of the Rebels, by resisting the construction of the Pontoon Bridges across the river by their sharpshooters from the windows of stone and brick buildings in Fredericksburg.  The first bridge was constructed by the 50th N.Y.E.R.C., assisted by the 66th N.Y. marines, who went across in the Pontoon boats, which are boats built after the fashion of the Navy Island, only about one-third the size and more substantial.  They lay down so as not to be seen and left only four men with oars in sight, and in the course of an hour they touched the opposite banks and the men sprang on shore and ran up the banks under the cover of the buildings and the Rebel sharpshooters skedaddled in fine style.  Our forces then built five bridges across the river, under the cover of our artillery and at night or about 4 P.M., one Grand-Division of the army crossed the river the next day. We were ordered to saddle up  and move on, we went to a bluff about three-fourths of a mile below the town and were ordered to halt, the Captain rode first to the banks and looked at the battle then raging, which was more grand than a painter can well portray or pen describe.  To see 100,000 men drawn up in battle array is a sign not often seen by any but soldiers, and the rebel guns starring at them and their army all along in the woods awaiting anxiously for the affray to commence.

The Dickinson Guards were once repulsed in crossing the river, with a loss of one killed and thirty-five wounded.  The Oxford boys were not in the advance, so they escaped.  Dwight Adams and "Shorty" are all right, and so are all the boys in the Sickles' Brigade. But they are on the advance.  Some of our boys saw Sam Balcom, and Augustus Parsons.  They say the boys are well and like the soldier's life, for one reason and that only.  I will not tell, but you can guess what it is (they can't go home.)  Just now there is a lively musketry firing going on, it is barely possible that something may transpire.  "Shorty" has just been into camp with a reb's horse that came into our lines yesterday.  We now number all told, 96 men here, and two officers making 98 in all, the largest Cavalry Company that I have seen in Dixie, as large as half of the Battalions now in service and the men all ride well.  Sheldon Bolles is a good horseman, and an efficient officer.  James Feeley can ride if he does not ride as graceful as some, he rides a little on the Bruchausen plan. The rest of the men ride like old Cavalry men, and not like raw recruits.  Finally the boys all do first rate.  We all look anxiously for the Times, once in a while someone gets one.  We have an honorable position and we hope to fill it honorably. Some of the boys say they would like to picket their horses for the night in front of "Gusties," They think it would make the people of your quiet town open their eyes, as they make more show than a fall regiment of infantry.   F.