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The combination of measles, heatstroke, and “a breach in a vary purticaly plaice” caused Taylor to be partially incapacitated. On August 8, 1864, he also developed intermittent fever (a symptom of malaria) and two days later was sent to the division hospital and then on to City Point. As a result of his illnesses, Taylor found himself in an interesting situation : he was unable to meet the rigorous demands of being in the ranks but was too useful to be discharged because he could cook, wash clothes, care for horses, and perform other duties. Eventually he was taken in by the regimental surgeons. He helped them with various tasks and was excused from carrying a gun. It appeared as though his role as an aide to the doctors became secure. At that point, however , the doctors who had been sent to treat the wounded after the August 25, 1864, Battle of Ream’s Station were taken as prisoners. Prior to their capture, Taylor had been instructed to care for Dr. Woodward’s horses, and he continued to do so during the doctor’s absence. After Dr. Woodward’s release and subsequent return to the regiment, Taylor’s position as the doctor ’s aide continued. His relationship with the doctor allowed Taylor an unusual amount of mobility, and he was frequently able to witness much more of the war than the typical soldier. He also had the advantage of being in less danger than the other men in the ranks. In the section of letters covering July 28 to October 10, 1864, Taylor continued to describe a soldier’s routine and life at the front. He became much more philosophical and reflective, especially in regard to God, duty, politics, 74 c h a p t e r 4 In Transition July 28 to October 6, 1864 and matters of life and death. During this period, he also described feeling the “blues” because of company casualties and what appeared to be a serious illness su¤ered by his wife, Sarah. Gaps in his letters occurred between August 7 and August 14 because Taylor was ill and between August 22 and August 31 during and immediately after the Battle of Ream’s Station. As was customary for Taylor, he filled in the gaps with a summary letter (the letter dated September 22), which covered the time period of June 18 to September 22. I believe that letter is one of Taylor’s most informative and interesting letters of the war.  On the banks of the James July 28, 1864 My dear wife, When I wrote to you the other day I thought that we would lay their for somtime but it was not more then a hour after I mailed the letter when the . . . 5 days rations.1 When we started we made up our minds that we had got a long march to make. We traveled all nite and in the morning the boys said that they wished we wood run on to som of the rebs and then they wood have to stop, and it was not long before we cross the James river2 and gust got up the bank and we see a line of works about twenty rods ahead of ous and we went and layed by them and the first we new the canons began to fire and then we new we was to our gourneys end for a while. Nat Crampton & myself went to work to get ous som breakfast and as we sat a eating a canonball from the Rebs com a bounding rite over ous but we cood not leave untill we got threw eating let what wood com for we had som tea and we cood not afoard to loose that. After we got threw we stood and wasched the skurmish line awhile and see them take the guns that was so sausey at ous and then we went back to the rear. This Nat is sick so he dos not go with the company. He is my tent mate and a nice young man he is to.3 As I am a sitting in my tent a writing to you their is a gun boat rite close by ous that keeps up a perfect rore from their big guns. They are a throwing shells about 2½ miles into the rebs works. July 29 We went 1½ miles to the frunt and stop untill night and then went back. We went threw the...

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