Retreat Column

—June 12, 1863 Richmond to Delhi La

Dear Mother and Father J. H. is all broke in the head I am allright Cuzin Lucian is stretched out shaking dribbling quinine sick ride on carts wounded are carried on litters seeing a red stump pains my arm others get buried beside the rode boys digging the holes with bayonets bowls and such like the general says the whole army is a vast moving hospital Richmond burning women and children up front whilst we form fire fall back ragmen straggling hogging some blackberries fat as thimbles laced with gunpowder no band plays nothing I must cut short my candle is low your son James Clowney