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Keep up your spirits, and don't believe any news but what comes in a reliable shape.
Of course no man can go into action without running risks, but our heavenly Father has shown us so much mercy and loving kindness hitherto, that we may pray for its continuance and hope for the best.
camp opposite Fredericksburg, Va., December 16, 1862.
I hope you received my telegram sent on the evening of the 13th inst., announcing my safety.1 It was out of my power to write, and no mails were permitted to leave the camps, and the telegram I only smuggled through the kindness of Seth Williams.
I almost forget when I wrote you last, but I think it was on the 10th inst. The next day we moved down to the river bank and commenced throwing over bridges at two points, one opposite the town, the other about two miles lower down.
Franklin's grand division was assigned to the last position.
The bridges were finished by the afternoon of the 11th without any opposition at our place, but with much trouble and quite severe loss at the town.
On the 12th we crossed.
Sumner at the town, Franklin below, and Hooker remaining in reserve.
On the 13th it was determined to make an attack from both positions, and the honor of leading this attack was assigned to my division.
I cannot give you all the details of the fight, but will simply say my men went in beautifully, carried everything before them, and drove the enemy for nearly half a mile, but finding themselves unsupported on either right or left, and encountering an overwhelming force of the enemy, they were checked and finally driven back.
As an evidence of the work they had to do, it is only necessary to state that out of four thousand five hundred men taken into action, we know the names of eighteen hundred killed and wounded. There are besides some four hundred missing, many of whom are wounded.
All the men agree it was the warmest work the Reserves had ever encountered.
I cannot enumerate all the casualties, but among them was poor Dehon,2 who fell pierced through the heart and expired almost immediately.
Yesterday, under a flag, we found his body, and Coxe has taken it this morning to Washington.
I had become very much attached to Dehon for his many excellent qualities, and it does seem as if the good luck that attends me is to be made up in the misfortunes of my staff.
I was myself unhurt, although a ball passed 