Battery Anderson, Virginia
April 2nd 1865
Dear Wife,
I think that it is time for me to try to pen a few lines to you so I will take this time to do it for I have nothing else to do. Your kind letter of the 30th March came to hand tonight and I am much pleased to hear that you are getting better. Try and take care of yourself, my pet, for if I lose you dear, I lose all that I have in this world.
The Army of the Potomac is on the move fighting hard and we are feeling a little of it here. We were at it all night last night and have been at it again today and while we were firing tonight, my gun went off while it was being loaded and it blew the little fellow that was loading it from the gun. It broke his arm in two places and knocked out one of his eyes and I fear he can’t live. It was the first accident of the kind that has happened since we have been out. ¹
We expect to have hard fighting before morning so I thought that I would write this much tonight. I am well. Goodnight, dear. My love to all. I will stop now for it is bed time.
Your loving husband, — Chet
To my pet wife.
See if this smells of burnt powder for I have not cleaned my hands since I got through firing. — Chet
¹ The regimental history indicates that there was only one incident of a premature explosion of a shell (no date given) in which a 30-pound Parrot rifle exploded and blew off the muzzle which was subsequently chiseled off and reused. Battery Anderson was known to have two 30-pound Parrot rifles.
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