The fact that he was able to write a long letter with his own
hand showed plainly that his wound must be a trifling one. The
letter ran thus:
"DEAR MARY: I fear that the report of my wound will reach you
before this letter comes to assure you that it is a mere scratch,
and scarcely worth a thought. I cannot for an instant think of
it, when I consider how many of our poor fellows have been mown
down by instant death, or are now lying with ghastly wounds on
pallets in the hospital. We have been through a fearful trial,
and the worst thought is that our losses are not compensated by a
single advantage.
"Before giving you an account of it from the point of view of a
private soldier, let me set your mind at rest by saying that my
injury is only a slight flesh-wound in the arm, which will
necessitate my carrying it in a sling for a few days; that is
all.
"Early on the morning of Thursday, the 10th inst., the first act
in the great drama commenced with laying the pontoon bridges over
which our men were to make their way into the rebel city.
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