OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - The James Perry Fyffe Letters (Civil War) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darrold Crites DCrites642@aol.com July 16, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO: (No Envelope was shown) Head Quarter 59th Rgt O.V. U.S.A. Near Piketon at Judge Cecils House Nov 10th 1861 My Dear Willa This letter presents a formidable heading but will inform you where I am. We had an engagement with the Secession forces day before yesterday of which you will have seen an account no doubt before this reaches you & of which I will give you a short account. In the morning when we started, my Regt. was in the rear behind the artillery. We were following up the line of the retreat of the forces from Prestonburg as afterwards Piketon. About 10 o'clock we heard musket firing in front & two or three cannon shots. Just then a cassion of ammunition wagon overturned ahead of my left in hurrying to get up a hill. I could not get my regiment passed. Getting impatient I leaped on a horse back 2 miles, and found the Regiment drawn up in Order of Battle. No enemy in sight. After waiting awhile for the Waggon overturned, the Genl got out of patience and ordered me to pass them and come on. I galloped 1 1/2 miles and met another cassion turned over. I passed them with the Regt. Went on when I came back to where I left. The forces, they had gone on. I followed. In about half an hour I heard a sharp report of musketry a long way ahead. Pretty soon the artillery opened and the sound reverberating amoung the Mountains as I hurried the men up as fast as possible but the poor fellows loaded down with blankets and knapsacks could not hurry much. We went on as fast as possible about 2 miles when we came to a farm house on the right below the road. Just opposite on the ridge of a hill lay the blue overcoats & blankets of the 21st O.V., passing up a ridge parallel to it I ordered our men to drop theirs. The firing ------ ------- ----- ----- ----- of the road up the river was going on. We started on and the sight that presented itself as we rounded the point was trying on the nerves of untried soldiers. We passed on however some few of my men were breaking, in alarm and terror, to the rear, ran away. Only 2 or 3 have ever. We soon ran up to where Genl Nelson stood in the road which ran along a steep cliff above the river. Cannon just above the Genl in the road were pointed over the river into a corn field, firing away at a force over there. The road above was clear of any force except the disabled, men and horses. The Genl, when I came up, was almost alone. He said he was glad to see me and I believe he was. He ordered me to rest my men a moment then to dismount and charge up the road along the hill side. I got off my horse & gave him to Ben Cliborn. He then ordered me to send forward my Rifle Co. I ordered them forward. My Liut. Col. Armstead leading them. I then -------------. As we came to the cornrow we halted a moment and as the fire ---------- ----------- ------------- ----------- was ------------ ----------- facing the field delivered a telling fire that sounded like a sharp sudden clap of thunder out in the cornfield. That completely silenced and drew off the forces over there. We then charged up the road & went a half mile or more but the fight was over except among the stragglers of the enemy ------------------, where a few only of my men were hit. Goodwin of ----------------- lost a finger, Carbern was hit in the hand and somebody else, Young Lesly was bruised, I was told, by a fall on the rocks. They are all at the hospital, none of them seriously hurt. Our loss does not exceed 12 or so killed and around 20 or so wounded. Theirs I think about ------- -------- -----------. There was some firing here yesterday. 12 or 15 of the Secession Force killed, the greater number by a shell. Nine of ours hurt. We are here without loss and I think will start back to Hazel Green tomorrow or next day, am not certain however. I have no time to write more as Col. Armstead is passing in the rain. I will write more fully as soon as I have time. Good by. Yours Perry