Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 31, 1864
Letter from M. Donally
We have been permitted to make extracts from a soldier's letter to Zebulon C. Randall, Esq. of Lincklaen. It is an interesting one, the latter part of it shows what is, undoubtedly the universal feeling in the army. We should remember this and govern ourselves accordingly.
Jone's Landing, Va., July 31, 1864
Since General Grant transferred his army from Coal Harbor to the South side of the Appomattox in front of Petersburg, which is so invested by our army as to allow non-combatants a splendid sight of the doomed city, and there our army has been so busily employed as not to allow them but very little rest, and without that amount of work we could not have even held the ground we first occupied. As it is we have been steadily but cautiously creeping nearer and nearer, until excess of fatigue and lack of sleep, with hot, dry weather preempted Gen. Grant to rest us. As soon as he considered himself safe and his position secure against any attack that Lee might make, he ordered the Second corps (Hancock's) to the reserve, and done as little with the rest as possible, so as to enable them to acquire the strength that was lost. A few cool days and refreshing showers came which greatly animated and satisfied us. But with them brought on work, for soon the Corps, with all the cavalry, were sent across the James River to harass their flank and also to reconnoiter that part of Virginia, including Malvern Hill, already made historic by the victory gained in'61 by McClellan, and where I think the enemy suffered more in killed and wounded than in any other battle fought between the confederate army of Northern Virginia and the Federal army of the Potomac. The infantry under Hancock, with his left flank near the river, and Sheridan's cavalry on the right, advanced to within about ten miles of Richmond when we met their pickets, and shortly after a line of skirmishers which were quickly driven back to their inner line, and no sooner was it done than the rebels, in solid column, pounced upon our left centre and flank. We stood our ground like true and tried veterans until they came clear up, when with all their strength, the left centre gave way, and as soon as they did, fell back a short distance and reformed. At the moment our right swung round and captured four twenty-pounder Parrott guns, and from three to five hundred prisoners. That caused them to retreat, leaving the field with its dead and badly wounded in our hands. We buried 126 of them, and we have a number of their wounded to care for. Finding Hill's Corps in our front, we fell back about a mile, Hancock crossing the river and proceeding to his old position as quickly as possible. We were on picket in a very large open lot and about four P.M. their cavalry drove in our outposts upon the reserve, when they deployed as skirmishers. The most beautiful sight I ever beheld was upon that field. We were ordered to charge and did, but before we came in contact they left the field. Four days and nights we were engaged, and finally followed Hancock, reaching camp at 4 A.M., and at 4 P.M. were ordered to march again. Upon this march I did not go.
Notwithstanding the recent raid into Maryland and the vicinity of Washington, our prospects are decidedly as bright as ever, and God being on our side, we will restore the Union if we have to exterminate every Rebel in the land. but before we do that, we wish the privilege of either doing or having the same done to the Copperheads, who are becoming so popular throughout the once patriotic States of the north. Nothing appears so singular to me as to know that so many sane men should desert, as it were, their own friends and endanger their own homes by encouraging our enemies to hold out and insist upon the destruction of our country. If they would only come and look for themselves, they would be better able to judge what we have to do, and in what way we must do it, and if they are not able to come, why not hear to what the right party says, and be satisfied, or do they think Grant can do miracles equal to the cutting of the waters in the river Jordan to let Joshua's army pass and invade Jericho? I believe if such a thing was published in the Albany Argus or any other such paper, they might be a little surprised but consider it reliable and peddle it as one of Lee's unparrelled military feats. Now let any person who is in favor of the union, for a moment consider Lee's advantages compared to our offensive operations, and common sense will prove to him that they are greatly superior. Where is there a man who has ever been the hero of more bloody fields than U.S. Grant! And if he is spared, he will vanquish Lee's army and end the war. Sherman will assist him by destroying Hood's army, and recover the States of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, &c. Of politics we know but little, and would be happy to learn the opinion of our party at home, and also the Copperhead favorites
Yesterday we had an awful fight, Burnside's Corps were the principal participants. There are various rumors, but I'll not say anything until I learn the truth.
Let me urge you, and all of influence to hurry up the drafted men, so as to settle this thing at once.
Yours, &c., M. Donally
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