Camp of the 2nd Regt.
Near Richmond Va.
June 3rd, 1862.
Dear Father and Mother: I once more improve a few spare moments to let you know my welfare and the rest of the boys. and to answer your last letter which I received, this afternoon dated May 25th.
I assure you I was pleased to hear from you but what can my anxiety be compared with yours after hearing of the late battle and the fall of many Michigan boys. I suppose you
eagerly watch the Papers for the daily news. Soon cones the account of a heavy battle then
you look for the regiments engaged and then for list of the names of the men killed.
Of course the paper give a long a long account of the glorious victory or the dreadful
defeat of our army but little do you know of the horror and suffering of the parties engaged.
Our company and two others were ordered to report to General Carney for duty Saturday forenoon. We started for his
headquarters about noon. We came to the place he was supposed to be but he had moved. We then went to General Hintzleman to receive orders.
We heard the roar of artillery and musketry and learned from the teamsters, who were
ordered to the rear some of the particulars of the fighting.
When we came to Hintzlemans headquarters the sick and many stragglers fo the regiments engaged were heading for the rear. The General
ordered our three companies to draw up in line of battle across the road and stop them. BY that we were kept from the engagement. Seven other Companies of our Regiment were engaged.
We lost nearly as many men as the entire Regiment did at Williamsburg. The Brigade
lost many men the first day.
the enemy drove out front back about a mile when they came on the rest of our men in
position for storming when the enemy came up to our artillery they cut them with grape and canister.
DeLand Davis says that the enemy is fairly piled in heaps where they first came in contact with our guns. i have not been on the
field.
The enemy calculated if they could whip us in the center they could turn the flank and make a big thing out of it but they found we were not to be whipped.
I expect soon to be in Richmond. What do the people think of McClelland? I will try to do better
the next time I write.
Give my love to all and write soon.
Your Son
A.J. Juckett