This is one of the finest descriptions of the battle of Fredericksburg that we have seen!  It was written by John L. Smith, a resident of Dedham, Mass., who enlisted in August of 1862.  Just three months after entering Company I of the 35th Mass., Smith writes a long four page description of his first battle to his sister and brother.  Smith was seated on a hill overlooking Fredericksburg and had a splendid view of the battle.  The letter is in clear pencil, very easily read.   Smith paints a wonderful picture of the magnitude of this great battle.  We originally had a number of Smith’s letters but kept this one because of its amazing content! 

·         “It was a great sight although not a pleasant one to see long lines of infantry extending as far
as the eye could reach moving against the entrenchments of the enemy and showers of shot and
shell from the enemy’s batteries.  The bombardment of city commenced the day before the infantry
were engaged we had our guns planted on the heights.  This side of the river our guns opened on the
city about 4 o’clock in the morning and kept firing at intervals till daylight when our guns opened
all along the line.  I doubt if such cannonading was ever heard before there was one continual roar
from the guns and the shot & shell made such a screeching through the air that the sound was almost
deafening the shot & shell make a very dismal sound passing in the air some like the wind in a very
stormy night when it whistles about the house making a screeching & moaning sound.”  

·         “Before long the city was on fire in several places.  The firing was kept up all day about 3 o’clock in
the afternoon our men got a pontoon across the river opposite the city.  We lost quite a number of men
from the sharpshooters that were stationed in the houses on the opposite side of the river but our
batteries were doing such good execution that it made the place rather hot for them as soon as the
bridges were got across our troops poured over the river and into the city but thousands our army kept
crossing all night on three bridges one about a mile below and two abreast of the city and still in the
morning there were thousands that had not been able to cross.  It took till noon the next day before the
 army could get over the river.”  

·         “One can’t imagine the magnitude of the army till he has seen it.  In the morning our lines began to
advance.  You could hear the report of a musket here and there along the line the sound became more
frequent till there was a perfect rattle of muskets, then the rebel batteries opened on our lines and were
replied to by our batteries the battle had commenced.  The rebels had a splendid position our infantry
made several charges to take the rebel batteries but were repulsed every time with terrible slaughter.  
The fight was kept up till night.”

·         “The next day it was not renewed on the part of the infantry although our cannon would occasionally
throw a shot or shell at the rebels.  Our loss on killed & wounded was fearful I could form no idea of how
many there was but if the whole army suffered in the same proportion as our Regt. it must have been
between 25,000 & 30,000, which is a great army in itself.”

·         “I was in Fredericksburg the day after the battle, there was scarcely a house but had from one to twenty
holes in it made by shot & shell such a destruction of property I never witnessed before splendid furniture
being smooched to pieces to build fires with pictures & mirrors broken to pieced by the soldier and all
kinds of goods strewn in the streets.  You could imagine what it was like if 5o,000 men were turned
loose in the city of Boston and allowed the privilege of plunder and they did not know what to do with it
when they got it.”

#S85 - Price $995

                    Transcription:

                                                                                                                             Camp near Fredericksburg Va. Dec 23rd 1862

                                    Dear Sister & Brother

                                            I received a letter from each of you a few days ago.  I saw by your letters that you 
                                    know we had been engaged in the battle at Fredericksburg and a terrible battle it was.  Thank 
                                    God I was not in the fight myself although most of our Regt. was.  I was left in camp the day 
                                    of the fight having duty to perform there.  I don’t like fighting well enough to crowd myself into 
                                    a battle if I am ask to do anything else but I don’t think I would shirk it if I could if my services 
                                    were required on the battlefield however I had an opportunity to witness the battle from a hill 
                                    on which we had been encamped.  It was a great sight although not a pleasant one to see long 
                                    lines of infantry extending as far as the eye could reach moving against the entrenchments of 
                                    the enemy and showers of shot and shell from the enemy’s batteries.  The bombardment of city 
                                    commenced the day before the infantry were engaged we had our guns planted on the heights.  
                                    This side of the river our guns opened on the city about 4 o’clock in the morning and kept firing 
                                    at intervals till daylight when our guns opened all along the line.  I doubt if such cannonading 
                                    was ever heard before there was one continual roar from the guns and the shot & shell made

                          such a screeching through the air that the sound was almost deafening the shot & shell make a 
                                    very dismal sound passing in the air some like the wind in a very stormy night when it whistles 
                                    about the house making a screeching & moaning sound.  Before long the city was on fire in 
                                    several places.  The firing was kept up all day about 3 o’clock in the afternoon our men got a 
                                    pontoon across the river opposite the city.  We lost quite a number of men from the sharp 
                                    shooters that were stationed in the houses on the opposite side of the river but our batteries 
                                    were doing such good execution that it made the place rather hot for them as soon as the 
                                    bridges were got across our troops poured over the river and into the city but thousands our 
                                    army kept crossing all night on three bridges one about a mile below and two abreast of the 
                                    city and still in the morning there were thousands that had not been able to cross.  It took till 
                                    noon the next day before the army could get over the river.  One can’t imagine the magnitude 
                                    of the army till he has seen it.  In the morning our lines began to advance.  You could hear the 
                                    report of a musket here and there along the line the sound became more frequent till there was 
                                    a perfect rattle of muskets, then the rebel batteries opened on our lines and were replied to by 
                                    our batteries the battle had commenced.  The rebels had a splendid position our infantry made 
                                    several charges to take the rebel batteries but were repulsed every time with terrible slaughter.  
                                    The fight was kept up till night.  The next day it was not renewed on the part of the infantry 
                                    although our cannon would occasionally throw a shot or shell at the rebels.  Our loss on killed &
                                     wounded was fearful I could form no idea of how many there was but if the whole army suffered 
                                    in the same proportion as our Regt. it must have been between 25,000 & 30,000, which is a great 
                                    army in itself.  I was in Fredericksburg the day after the battle, there was scarcely a house but 
                                    had from one to twenty holes in it made by shot & shell such a destruction of property I never 
                                    witnessed before splendid furniture being smooched to pieces to build fires with pictures & 
                                    mirrors broken to pieced by the soldier and all kinds of goods strewn in the streets.  You could 
                                    imagine what it was like if 5o,000 men were turned loose in the city of Boston and allowed the 
                                    privilege of plunder and they did not know what to do with it when they got it.  But I am writing 
                                    a long letter about something that perhaps you care little about so I will change the subject.  I 
                                    saw James Smith day before yesterday he is in the 33rd Regt.  He came over to see me.  He is on 
                                    Siegels Corps.  I was very glad to see him he looks quite well but don’t like soldiering any more 
                                    than myself.  His Regt. has not been in a fight yet.  He will like it worse then or I am mistaken. 
                                    I am well but sick of this war when is it to be finished it will never be done by fighting for the 
                                    rebels always have the advantage of us.  They acting on the defensive but I must close as my 
                                    fingers are so cold that that I can’t write longer.  Kiss my little niece for me.  Write or send this 
                                    to Mary and tell her I have got my gloves, stockings, mittens, boots etc. and that she is dear good 
                                    wife for sending me such good things that I will love her so much when I return that it will make

                           up for all the time that I was away and that I hope we will yet spend many happy days together.  

                           Remember me to all my friends.
                                                                                                Yours Truly,
                                                                                                                John
                                    Tell Mary I will write to her soon.