Letter from Henry Dick Lester (Sr.) to his father dated June 8, 1863 Many thanks to Mary Kay Lester Forbes of Salisbury, North Carolina who provided the following letter her grandfather sent to his father the day after the battle. Henry Dick Lester was only 13 when he joined the army and was 15 when he fought in the Battle of Milliken’s Bend. Unfortunately portions of the old folded letter were illegible. Camp 10 mi from Millicuns Bend (Millikens Bend) above and opposite Vicksburg June 8 63 My Dear Pa Since writing to you near Delhigh (Delhi) I have again had an opportunity of wreaking my vengeance on our foe. Day before yesterday we marched about 10 mls to within one mile of Richmond. Here we recd orders to cook three days rations and be ready to march at 7 o clock that evening. When the time arrived we took up the line of March for the Yankee camp on the ____ I believe___ (paper badly folded here) ___ Beans. We marched all night and just about every advance ? was fired into by their Pickets who soon ran (run) off. After going about a mile further we were again shot at. We were now surrounded on all sides by Rose Hedges and in passing through the gaps we lost a good many. When in about a half mile of the levy behind which the enemy were postured and between which ran ? the River the camps were pitched. We formed a very poor line of Battle. Our Regt being a full 75 yds ahead of the rest who line to force a way through the Hedges. Soon the order was given to charge the levy/behind which are some cotton bales were posture a Regt of Negroes with a large number of Yankees ( paper badly) ____ some ten steps of the levy? When by common consent the Regt had ____In a an ____persuing thier advantage a Fed Officer arose and spoke to his men “Aim low boys and give them Hell, give them Hell, give them Hell) When at the third time I took deliberate aim at his breast two inches below and to the right of the second button and sent a ball and then buckshot in him. He fell with the word “Hell” on his lips. In the meantime they opened a destructive fire on us which killed my 3rd Lt. Thos J Benuin ? wounded Capt Persig ? Persy ? killed one _____ and ______ seven other. We charged the Levy and fought Bayonet crossing Bayonet for full one minute. My antagonist was a huge Negro who fired and missed me and then clubbed his gun and tried to strike me. I slapped my Bayonet through him twice he then struck at me. I threw up my gun in him to ward off the blow and (paper badly folded here) _____ he _____ and struck me over the shoulder which darn near breaking the shoulder blade. I then sent my Bayonet clear through him and finished fired into him as Div lines which blew him all to pieces. We continue firing where ever we could see a way I killed ? four that I know of for certain and captured two negroes one belonging to Col Dabney ? name ? Raymond and the other to Mr. Zalladay or Zallvuay living near Jackson, Miss We left the field about 12 n and came back to our old camps. We then continue to reinforce. Genl Haws who was still skirmishing on the River and got about a mile in swimming ? when orders to cook two day ration. My shoulder is very stiff and sore this morning. D_____ you _____ to summer? La. I will write again soon. Your son
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 04:01:47 +0000
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