Letter from Michael Lally to his wife and children, May 8, 1862
Willimbourgh Virginia
[May] the 8, 1862
Mrs. Lally
Dear wife and children
Thanks be to God I have the opertunity of writing to ye once more. Hoping that it will find ye in good health ae this me in at present. Thanks be to God for bringing me safe through the battle on Munday the 5 ins which was a hard day between blood and rain from 7 in the morning till 7 in the eve which I have left a good many of my comrades lying in a desolate condition before night. But thank the Lord for my safety through it. Now I sertantly hope that I will have the pleasure of seeing my little ones once more for I think the back of Sesses is broke now for we have drove them some 30 miles a through the woods, What we did not kill or woond, and the most of our Army is in hot pursuit after them on the Richmond which I think they will make another stand. But our division will not be there for the don their part of the fighting now and as swoon as ye here that Richmond falls and Northfolk the next thing you will here of going hom playing Patrick's day [---] through Boston
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Dear wife
I wrote a few loynes to Patrick on yesterday morning but had not tim to writ any mor for there was a man going to Baltimemer to publise all particulers about the battle and he carried it fer me. Now I man to let you now that Sunday we left Yorktown and marched on words till 12 o'clock at night which we layed under the rain till morning and after one hours march we come in sight of the Rebbles works which was very strong and [supported] with one hundred thousand men which their prisners told us. After we had not anything to do but through of napsacks and blaiz away and in a half our after our cannon came up to us by which time we had a good men laying dead on the field but our men held their ground until we got reainforsement about 3 or 4 o'clock which general Hooker said after, that he never witeniss so hard a battle nor never met baraver me[n] that Mass. But one of our boys ans. him back and told him that the war Irish men, which he told the general staff to give three shairs for Ireland and thur glorious boys [which she has reard] After all day fighting we layed all night, and next morning we found them all gone and our cavelry after them.
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Now I hope that you will rite to me and let me now how the children is and tell Mary and Marthur that I lost ther pictur on the battlefield but thanks be to God for my seafty so far. I main to let you now about the number kild and woonded. On our side is about 2000 or over for the war counting them today and berring the dead; and for the Rebbls ther is 77 hundred kild and woonded and we have three thousand of them sent to fortress Mor[--] today with a good many offercers among them. Now I have to rest for I am falling asleep writing those few loynes. I wish ye good look until I see you one mor
Your Respectly
Michael Lally
Direct as before
[Note: Battle of Williamsburg - May 4th and 5th, 1862]
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May 8, 1862
Lally, Michael
Williamsburg, Virginia
1 letter (4 pages)
Lally, Michael
Irish -- United States
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Participation, Irish
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives -- Personal narratives
Williamsburg, Battle of, Williamsburg, Va., 1862
Michael Lally letters and other material, 1861-2006
Lally_I_13
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