The following letter was written by Bateman Rittenhouse (1842-1886), the son of Daniel Rittenhouse (1761-1848) and Elizabeth Myers (1799-1857) of Hunterdon county, New Jersey. By 1860, John’s parents were both deceased and he was residing with an older brother in Cecil county, Maryland. Bateman enlisted on 20 August 1862 in Co. B, 6th Maryland Infantry and was with his regiment until 2 June 1864 when he was wounded in action at the Battle of Cold Harbor. He was sent to a hospital in York, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the end of the war. He was described as standing 5′ 9″ tall, with grey eyes and dark hair—a farmer by occupation.

A surgeon’s note informs us that Bateman’s wound was serious and disfiguring. It was caused by a “gunshot wound of the upper and lower jaw. The [minié] ball entered to the left and below the nose making its exit at inferior surface of lower jaw right side necessitating removal if portion of inferior maxillary bone” which was performed in the field. According to the first surgical volume of the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (MSHWR) published in 1870, there were only “twenty-nine surgical operations performed for deformities following gunshot injuries” while noting there were “nearly ten thousand in number” cases of gunshot injuries of the face during the war. (MSHWR Surg I, p. 379)

Bateman’s letter was written on 4 November 1863, just three days before the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station in which the North gained “a complete and glorious victory”—an engagement “as short as it was decisive” in routing Lee’s army and pushing them back across the Rappahannock river. In all, 1,670 Confederates were killed, wounded, or captured in the brief struggle, more than eighty percent of those engaged. Union casualty figures, by contrast, were small: 419 in all. [See Second Battle of Rappahannock Station]

Bateman wrote the letter to John Bellis of Hunterdon county, New Jersey, who was probably a childhood friend.

Transcription

In Front
November 4, 1863

Mr. John Bellis

Dear sir, it is with much pleasure that I take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am still among the living and hope that these few lines wil find you the same. There is nothing a going on among the two armies at present. We are laying [with]in seven miles of the Rebel army. The Rebels are all on this side of the Rappahannock but I don’t think that they intend to make a stand. I suppose that you have seen the account in the papers how the Rebels run us from Culpeper back to Bull Run. They wanted to get there before we did but they could not quite com that. They had three days start of Meade’s [army] but he beat them there for all and then we went into them and give them a devil of a lickin and run them back [with]in seven miles of the Rappahannock.

They are all on this side of the river throwing up breastworks as if they intend to make a stand so you mustn’t be surprised to hear of the hardest fight that ever has been fought yet. If they do make a stand, it is going to be a desperate fight. It was Lee’s intention to get back to Bull Run and give Meade’s [army] the greatest thrashing that ever was heard of and then he would go on into Maryland. Lee soon found out that would not work. He found out that he had not Hooker to fool with. I will tell you, that Meade is the best general that ever has been at the head of the Army of the Potomac and I believe that both officers and men in the army thinks more of Meade than any general ever hs been in command.

I want to know when you write whether you know anything of John Rittenhouse. I haven’t heart from him this summer. I would like to know where he was at and also how Danse and Frank are getting along. I have written to them both but never got no answer yet. I must close for this time for it is getting late. You must write soon and let me know how the times is going. Give my best respect to all and tell them that I am as happy as a lark. No more at present. Write soon. Yours truly, — Bateman Rittenhouse

To John Bellis. Direct your letter as before.