The following letter was written by Charles Gammon (1841-1921), the son of Phillip Gammon (1812-1887) and Maranda Southgate King (1810-1854) of Raymond, Cumberland county, Maine. Charles enlisted in July 1861 to serve in Co. K, 3rd New Hampshire Infantry. He rose in rank from private to sergeant before being wounded on 16 August 1864 at Deep Bottom Run, Virginia.

We learn from the letter that Charles received a leg wound the 2nd Battle of Deep Bottom when the 3rd New Hampshire, part of the 10th Corps, was ordered to assault a Confederate position near Fussell’s Mill. After initial success, they were ultimately turned back when the Confederates counterattacked.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Grant US [General] Hospital [at Fort Totten]
Willett’s Point, New York Harbor
October 20, 1864

Dear Father,

Tis with pleasure that I now take my pen in hand to write you a few lines. I am getting along pretty well and my wound is a healing up but I don’t know what to think of it. The doctor looked at it this morning and then got his knives and lanced and set out to cut into my wound but he did not. I think he thinks there is some broken bone in my leg but he won’t tell me whether there is or not. I think if the doctor will let my wound alone, it will soon be healed up but I am afraid he will cut it open again. If he don’t, I shall go to the front as soon as it is healed over. I am tired of staying here.

I got two letters from my regiment yesterday. They all want me to come back as soon as I can. Charles Tauton sent me the rest of that money you sent me when I was first wounded. My regiment is within 6 miles of the City of Richmond but there is but a few of them left. I think it is rather hard that I can’t come home after getting shot but I shan’t moan about it if I do not get sick or get shot again. I shall get home sometime.

Father, I hope I shall be spared to get home safe again for I have got a good many things to live for. I have suffered enough and I would like to have a place of my own and settle down and take some comfort. But all I can do is hope for the best and take what comes. I am afraid we have got to have 4 more years war and it will be hard if we do.

Received your kind letter today and my friend’s letter. Please write soon for I shall try and go to the front of some of you send me the money I wrote for. As I have no news to write, I will close with love to all. From your son, — Sergt. Charles Gammon