Letters of William H. Emslie

Dismounted Camp - October 25, 1863

Father
     I have just got off the dismounted camp   coming
down here the cars ran off the track and hurt fifty or
more bad.  Shinn Rush [?] was with me but he is all right
but I am pretty sore all over but will soon be well.
eight cars out of twelve smashed up fine.  since I wrote
to you I have been in the fight at Culpepper Brandy
Station and when the army was falling back we was
skermishing every day   last week we attacked them near
bull Run   G Company was out skermished and we drove to
Gainesville that day and next morning we attacked then
and drive them to Buckland Mills and fought about four
hours and they fell back and we after them untill we
got to New Baltimore and the first thing we knew we
were surrounded by infantry and cavalry.  we fought
in good order and then it came every man for him self.
my horse played out and got down.  the rebels was rite
on to me and i had to leave him but i see them shoot
one of the first Virginia and heard them yell no
Quarters you Yankee sons of bitch.  I fired at the one 
on the left hand side and the ___ out of his saddle
and the other one but after me   I guess I run about
that tiem   I had a big open field to run across a foot
and the rebels close behind.  I just got in the woods
a citizen got in my way  I shot him in the shoulder and 
ran on until I met a niger.  I hit the nig over the
head with the carrabine and mounted   that is all that
saved me for the rebels was about twenty yards,  no
reenlisting for me.  send me five dollars for I have
nothing but what is on my back no more.
William H. Emslie