5 P.M. Dr. Palmer says he is going to
Yorktown to morrow. I will send this to him
this evening to mail there, by our cook who
[page 2 between the lines]
who comes twice a day (3 miles); before day & after
night to bring our meales. The approaches
to our position behind the breast works
are too dangerous for him to come during
the day, made so by sharp shooters
of the enemy, who are said to be paid
fifty dollars a month. the enemy at-
tempted twice each night to cut the Dam
just opposite us but failed. We drove
him back by infantry. Those who were
at the battles of July 16 & 21st. & Oct. 21st say
they do not think the firing was ever
at any one time heavier than the fight
of the evening before the last was. Our
men are claiming a heavy loss on the
Yankee side. Some say seven hundred.
A man who was in it & at Bethel says
he knows their loss was much greater
here than at Bethel. There wounded are
still unburied. There sharp shooters will
not let us go down to the dam to get
them & bury them. Two of our men
started down to reclaim one of their
wounded, who was on our side, but
[page 3 between the lines]
was fired on & had to return. We are behind
pretty substantial breast works. But
since leaving Magruder's line better.
I do not think it as strong as I have
above stated. General Johnston is at
prresent down here.
Your letter has not yet come. Dearest
father I am well. I love you all a great
deal & think of you
Our men in a breast work 50 yards
in advance of us say we with our
two guns dismounted, one of the
enemy's guns yesterday morning
one of our guns fired at their works. The
other at infantry. Again goodbye my
dear father. W.H.P. Jr.
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