DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Charles Arad Gates letters, 1861-1863 | 1862-05-18 Charles A. Gates to Mr. & Mrs. Arad Gates Page 2

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1862-05-18 Charles A. Gates to Mr. & Mrs. Arad Gates Page 2

toward Richmond and I had been sick all this time and they took me to the Hospital and I staid there one week and I got so I could get around and yesterday I got on the maile steamer and came up to the White House that is on the Pumekey river and where the West Point and Richmond RR crosses the Pumekey river the White House is owned by Gen. Lees sone Col Lee of the rebel army and here on these premises Washington married his first wife.  Our gun boats and steamers come up as far as White house landing. I got up to White House landing and found that our Division was 7 miles below at Cumberland Landing so I staid over night and took the mail boat and went down to Cumberland and they said our battery was about 1 mile down the river so I started and met them.  So you see I am back with the battery again and I am glad of it.  So we have not moved but a little ways today and we are camped on Cedar Hill plantation 21 miles from Richmond.  Some of our troops have crossed the Chickehomney  river and we have got about 20,000 rebels cut off and they have sent in a flag of truce to our army and they say they will lay down their arms if we will let them retreat to Richmond but we want them Jeff says that if the patriot people of the south don't help fill up the ranks of the C.S.A. army that the southern confedracy will not stand long.  I believe him I saw Jeffs coach man he came in to our camp and tow of Gen. Magruders servents so they all say that the whole southern army is bordering

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toward Richmond and I had been sick all this time and they took me to the Hospital and I staid there one week and I got so I could get around and yesterday I got on the maile steamer and came up to the White House that is on the Pumekey river and where the West Point and Richmond RR crosses the Pumekey river the White House is owned by Gen. Lees sone Col Lee of the rebel army and here on these premises Washington married his first wife. Our gun boats and steamers come up as far as White house landing. I got up to White House landing and found that our Division was 7 miles below at Cumberland Landing so I staid over night and took the mail boat and went down to Cumberland and they said our battery was about 1 mile down the river so I started and met them. So you see I am back with the battery again and I am glad of it. So we have not moved but a little ways today and we are camped on Cedar Hill plantation 21 miles from Richmond. Some of our troops have crossed the Chickehomney river and we have got about 20,000 rebels cut off and they have sent in a flag of truce to our army and they say they will lay down their arms if we will let them retreat to Richmond but we want them Jeff says that if the patriot people of the south don't help fill up the ranks of the C.S.A. army that the southern confedracy will not stand long. I believe him I saw Jeffs coach man he came in to our camp and tow of Gen. Magruders servents so they all say that the whole southern army is bordering