Fairfax Courthouses Va.

Dec. 18, 1862

Dear Parents,

You will probably be somewhat surprised at finding this letter dated from Fairfax Courthouse. It will be one week tomorrow since we left our old home and started for Bull Run. Our only regret was that we could not take our comparatively comfortable habitations along with us. However, our successors, the N.Y. 111th will have the benefit of them. But to the story last Thursday: About 4OO of the 16th worked on the fort which I hare spoken of before and on our return to camp at night were told by our comrades that orders had come for us to be ready to strike tents and march the next morning. At first we hardly credited it, believing this to be one of the many camp stories that we hear told, but the next morning we were routed out at 3 o'clock, had breakfast at 4, and started between 5 and 6. I would hardly have believed we could start from camp with knapsacks, 50 rounds of cartridges, 2 days rations, etc. and march 18 miles the first day. But such nevertheless was the distance we made by the middle of the first afternoon, landing a little beyond Fairfax Courthouse. The next morning we resumed our loads and marched on toward Bull Run, to do picket duty for 4 days when we were to be relieved by another regiment and return to Fairfax and rejoin the brigade. On our way to Centerville we lost our way and, going across lots to regain our road, we passed over the old Chantilly Battlefield, where the lamented Kearney fell. This battle was fought in the woods, and the trees looked as though it had rained bullets. If you remember, at one time during Ropes' retreat, General Bunks and division were cut off from the rest of the army and it was feared would be destroyed. but he escaped, slipping by the enemy while the battle of Chantilly was raging, taking the selfsame road that we should have taken in coming out. I have seen the very man that guided him by. He said that Bunks' division at that time could not have numbered more than 2,000 men, and had he not been able to slip by as he did he would have been awfully cut up.

We halted for rest on the famous heights of Centerville, so long the stronghold of the Rebs. The position to an unpracticed eye, seems strong indeed, a long slope at last half a mile, crowned with earthworks whose guns could sweep every inch Of the declivity and quite a space beyond. From Centerville we marched about a mile and a half and again halted near the spot where we finally pitched our camp, but by mistake we were marched about a mile and a half further, while the colonel was absent looking for a better camping ground. 250 men were detailed to go on picket and the rest, myself among them, went beak to our last resting place and set up our fly tent, made coffee, roasted salt heavy (?), and made ourselves as comfortable as we could generally.

The next day it was my turn to go on picket, so I had an opportunity to go down to Cub's Run, slightly famous in history, on the banks of which our pickets are stationed, and along which grow the wild grapes which the pickets eat in untold quantities. We are now expecting to stop here through the winter, but no one can tell. H. G. Day

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Contributed by Linda M. Welch, Dartmouth College, Windsor County researcher.

Return to the Index of Hezron's letters..

See also Hezron's biography, and his memoir of the Gettysburg Campaign.