Camped Near Bell Plain Va.
		May 29th 1863
Dear Brother
	I rec. your kind
letter of the 22nd inst. day
before yestarday and was
very glad to hear from you.
Your letter found me well
and hearty and in good
Spirets, our Battery has
Changed Camp some three
or four times since I wrote
you last. The last time but
one we went in to Camp near
Falmouth right oposit of
the City of Fredericksburg
and in sight of it, and the
Hights back of the City.
last Tuesday we moved Camp
to this place; some four
Miles from Falmouth and
some 2 1/2 Miles from Bell
Plain, so I head my letter
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from the last named place.
We are Camped in a very good
place now. We have dug us
an excelent, good Spring of
Water Close to our Camp
which is a luxury to Soldiers
where water is as scarse
as it is here, also wood is
near by which qwite an item
with Soldiers. You ask me which
part of the late Battle field
was the throwing away of
Blankets Amunition
Small Armes &c. it was done
most extencivly, the throwing
away of Blankets and Amunition
probably was about the Same
over all the Battle Field
especily, the reason was this,
in most all Battles the Infa
-ntry Cary their knap Sacks
with their Blankets rolled
up and straped on top of
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or inside their knap Sacks
and just as they are going in
to the Fight they take them
off right where they hapen
to be. This was the way they
done at Chancellorsvill. Some
fought with their Knap Sack
on (the NH 12th done so there
and their over Coats on) but
as I said they usualy take them
off and are either packed
up in the rear some distance
or droped where they are
just going in to the Fight.
This was the case at the last
Battle after the 11th Armey Corps
Broke and run our Armey
was out Flanked and forced
to fall back nearly a Mile
from the Plank Road, and
that left a lot of Knap Sacks
in the hands of the Rebes, and
every mans Blanket either
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being in or on his Knap Sack
the Rebes got them also. The
way they got the Ammunit
-ion is this. They (the Infantry)
had to cary a cirtain no of
rounds of Ammunition in their
Knap Sacks, so when the Rebes
got them they got Ammunition
and all, a good many saved
their Knap Sacks and all not 
having to Fall back enough
to lose them. While those on
the Extreme right (where
we were out Flanked by the 
11th Corps retreating) lost all.
The Guns that were thrown
away took place mostly in
the 11th Corps after they got
Panac Striken. That is a thing
that most always takes place 
among Panac Striken Troops
especily if they are hard pressed
by the Enemy, which was
the case with the 11th Armey Corps
at Chancellorsville. This
is the case as I understand it
and saw it. This Armey is
not demoralised nor lost any
of its vigour by its late reverse,
but is as ready and willing
to try the Enemy as it was
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before the Fight. We have
the fullest confidence in Gen
Hooker and are willing to
try him again, he cirtainly
has exhibited more Skill and
energy in the late move
than any Gen. that has yet
had Cammand of the Armey
of the Potomac. as you say
the news from the West
is good. Grant is doing a
good and great work, he
is wining a great Name
for himself and he deserves
it at the hands of a greatful
People. I believe he will take
Vicksburg if he has not already
done so which I hope is the
case. There is one thing I
want you to take notice
of betwen the relitive Stre
-ngth of Grants Armey and
Hookers. While Hooker has
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nothing but the numeracle
Strength of his Armey, (which
is no larger than Grants if
it is as larg) while Grant
has a large Fleet of Iron
Cladd Gun Boats to assist
him which is eqwal to
Thousands of men to him.
Hooker has to Fight the best
Troops and most Skilful Gens
in the Rebel service, and
fight in a country best
adapted for defencive
warfare of any in America
or in the US. I rec. a letter
from Rachel last Eve. 
She said Charles Paige had
been there. Charlie played
it on Melissa pretty good
no mistake. I could not
play it on Rachel as easy
as that, for She would hear
of my comeing long before
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I could get home. I would
liked to of been at home
very much to of seen
Charles. We draw lots in
our Co. for Chances to go
home on Furloughs. I stand
as good a Chance as any one
to get a Furlough, but my
Chance is only one in 80, rather
small chance isent it. Well
neve mind whether I get
a furlough or not I have
got only 15 Months 26 days 
and 1/2 of a day longer to
serve. Perhaps you may think
that I am reckoning time
rather close; but you must
remember that we are
told to take care of the
Minutes and the hours
will take care of them
selfs on the same princaple
I suppose the days and hours
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will do the same so I reckon
them all in. We have to
laugh occasionly to the Jour
-seymen (a nomber of them
being attached to our Battery
from their Regs. and who are
9 Months Men) because they
count time so close at hand 
when they are to be discharged
they having but a week or two
longer to serve. We have
got so short of men they
have reduced us to a 4 Gun
Battery again. We have but
about 100 of the Origenal
Men that came from NH
with us, it is a Shame that
NH can not support one
Battery and keep it full
when a little State like RI
can support some 5 or 6. I
hope Ole Jae Gilmore will
do something for us when
he gets in. I am glad to hear 
that your little Boy is doing
so well I would like to see
it very much. Rachel sais
he is a very good Baby. I am
very much obliged to you for
those Stamps you sent in your letter.
There is no news but what you get
befor you would by rec. it from
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any letter of mine so I will not attempt
to write any. Rachel and the Babys are well.
I thank you for the complement you give my
Boys. I do think very much of them, perhaps
to much, but I try not. I wish to have
but one God alone fore my Heavenly Father.
Give my love to Emily and to Gardners Family.
I trust I shall hear from you often, the
oftener the better and will very much
Please   Your Friend and Brother
			T C Cheney