Snicker’s Gap, Virginia
November 5, 1862
Dear parents,
Having a few minutes before going on guard, I thought that I would write a few lines to let you know that I am still well and all the rest of the boys but Martin, He is sick and the captain too. I have seem all the boys in the 108th [New York] Regt. as we was in camp near them. We arrived were they was in the afternoon but when we got there they was under marching orders and before night they left for the field so we. did not have a very long time to see them.
We stayed at Bolivar Heights only one day. The we had orders to march after them for reinforcements. We marched the first day and that was Saturday 9 miles. We then went into a large field and encamped for the night. Sunday morning about 4 o’clock the bugle was blown to be ready for to march again. We all fell into line and started off. We had not gone only about 4 miles when we saw where the 13 [New York] Regt. was in camp. We halted about ½ hour there but I did not see Albert but Shedrick seen him and said that he was looking for me but could not find me. We then went on about 5 miles farther and then we cooked our dinner. Again we went on and we had not gone over a mile when the order was to load our rifles. The boys thought then that we was a going to have a fight but did not at last night came on but we was on the march. We marched 5 miles farther and then we thought that we was a going to stop there over night—November 9th—so we went to work a getting our supper but we had no more than half got it when we had to move again about 2 miles farther on to hold the gap where I was when I first started the letter. In the morning the rebels had just got there when some of our troops came up and with a few rounds drove them back into the valley where we had Old Stonewall entirely surrounded so that he could not get out as we had strong forces at all the other gaps.
We stayed there three days and then we had orders to march again on to Richmond, I think. Thursday we marched 18 miles. We passed three villages today, namely Philo
mont, Montry, and Middleville—all in Virginia. Friday we are still on the march but it had been snowing all day very hard. We traveled till about 5 o’clock in the afternoon when we went into the woods and stayed till the next day. Saturday morning the first thing that I knew, I seen Albert Miller of the 13th Regt. About noon we had to go again. Today we passed 3 villages—Georgetown, Upperville, and New Baltimore. That day we traveled 18 miles and then we encamped for the night. Today is Sunday and we again have to move about 2 miles farther where we are tonight. From our camp we can see the village of Warrenton. Tomorrow I don’t know whether we shall have to move or not but as it is a getting late, I must stop writing for this time. So goodbye for this time. Whether I can ever write another letter or not, I cannot tell you. We have not had our mail for a week.
From your son Charles Miller
Near Warrenton, Va. Write when you can.
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