Henry Didcock's Letter Home
Virginia Nov 21 / 64
Dear Father Mother & Brother
In past letters I have heard that you was all well. I was glad to hear it. I hope these few lines will find you all well, as they leave me at preasant. I have enjoyed excelling good health since I left home, never any better. We have a splended climate here.
I am writing to you matters and things as they are. No Fiction or Streching the Truthes. Since I left home we have made a good many moves, some of them rather vexing. But that is nothing for a Soldier.
From City Point we made 3 moves to the Battle Field. On that morning the 27 of Oct we was up about 3 Oclock in the morning. We expected there was some fun ahead. We had four days rations with us, but we did not know wether we had to travel 4 Miles or 40. But in the Grey of the Morning our Rigement commenced to March. We soon found out something was up as we see other Rigements a moveing both Infantry and Artilery. All appeared to be making for one point. At last while marching we began to hear the roar of Artilery and musketry and our Men Yelling. They made a charge and drove the Rebs. But we are Marching.
We came upon Rebel Ground where no Troops had camped. The Corn was not cut nor the Chinese Sugar Cane. Sweet Potatoes was not dug. Rail Fences left as the farmer left them. But we are Marching with a full napsack, Haversack and canteen of Water and 65 Rounds of Cartridge. We come into the Woods. Order is to Stop Marching and load our Musketts in case of an emergency. Our Musketts are Loaded for the first time. Then March on.
All this time we could see Tens of Thouthands of Men of every grade. Negro Rigements, Fat Hearty Big Buck Looking Niggers Laughing and showing there Teeth. Artilery Infantry and a few Cavelry. But in the Woods we are and the order given to halt. We find ourselves about five rods behind an old rigement drawn up in line of Battle. Our General comes to our front. Now boys saith he we have got a short job before us, about 20 Minutes work. (But we found it 24 Hours.) The 188 Riget was on our left.
And now I will speak of what I see and afterwards of what I heard. When drawn up in line of Battle we had strict orders not to fire a gun untill we had orders to do so. The Old Rigement in front of us I believe was the 85th pensylvany. They was afraid that our raw troops would hit them. Orders was to move. The old ones marched. We followed behind about 5 rods. At last I found myself in front of a big Tree top and in turning out to pass it, the Balls come from the enemy flying around us all the time. Our Riget fell back, but I went ahead I should think about 30 Rods and joined in with the Old Riget. The first man I saw was George Fowler. We then was in front of the enemys brest works. There was a few trees in front of us and then a field clear of every thing. We could not see any Rebs but there Balls was passing over us. I asked George what we was agoing to Shoot at. We concluded to direct our fire in the direction that the Reb fire came. We could see the blaze of there guns, George and I being in the front so the Balls passed over us. My opinion is that there is more men hit by Skulking than by being in there proper place. We was there perhaps 2 or 3 hours, cool and calm, Loading and firing. I did not see but one dead man as I know of and some wounded. The most that was killed and wounded was in the rear.
We fell back with the Old Riget to give room for fresh Skirmishers. When we got back to the rear we found our Riget a building Brest Works so we joined in with them. George with them. Some had not fired a gun. We Laid in the brestworks all night watching. But Mr Reb did not see fit to come. The Skirmishers where out all the time. The Heavyest of the fight was on our Left. It rained pretty well all that night. The next morning we fell back futher and about 10 Oclock we marched back about 4 Miles and Camped. The rest of that affair you have heard.
Andrew Bates arrived last night and Hazzard with a Company for our Riget. I got a letter from Bates dated Oct 20 and a pair of Socks, good ones. We have all manner of rumors of our Moving to Elmira Baltimore or some other place. But I pay no attention to Rumors.
Well father I must quit writing. All is well. I intend to see you and Mother and Lucius again. If any furlough is given this winter I intend to get one. I expect there will be some given. Give my love to all. From your affectionate friend
H D Didcock
He wrote this letter to his wife’s parents, Jeremy and Elizabeth Wooster, and his brother-in-law, Lucius Wooster. In it he describes his part in the battle of Boydton Plank Road, or Hatcher’s Run, south of Petersburg, Virginia, fought October 27, 1864. His regiment was part of the Union Fifth Corps, commanded by General G. K. Warren. The 187th New York was a western New York unit, brigaded with the 188th and 189th New York.
Henry was born in England in 1828. At the time of the war, he lived in the hamlet of Kill Buck, in the Town of Great Valley. The 1874-75 Cattaraugus County business directory listed him as town assessor and farmer. He died in 1913 and is buried with his wife and her family in the Kill Buck Cemetery on Route 417, just east of Salamanca.
GEORGE FOWLER – Age, 41 years. Enlisted, September 6, 1864 at Freedom, to serve one year. Mustered in as private, Company A, 188th New York Volunteer Infantry, September 26, 1864. Mustered out with company, June 1, 1865, near Washington, D.C.
This letter was submitted by Phil Palen through the courtesy of the Gowanda Area Historical Society
