Civil War Letter from the Journal-Virginian, Abingdon, VA, 12 May 1932
May 6th, 1864
In line of battle between Love Grove and Chancelorsville about 16 miles below Average (Orange?) C.H., Va.
Matthew R. Blackwell, I am sorry to inform you that your brother Ben was killed yesterday evening. He was buried today. I fixed a board to put to his grave so his remains can be found at any time, if you wish to come after him. You can come to the 48 and some of us will go with you to his grave. Our loss yesterday was 80 killed, wounded and missing. Me, James and David Venable is yet unhurt, tho we are now under fire and has been all day. There is the hardest fight going on now that ever has been known, I think. Excuse me dear friend for not writing no more. I will write again as soon as this fight is over. Tell my folks we are well. Thompson McHerry was mortally wounded. I guess he is dead by this time. Thomas Dutton was killed. Dave Thomas and William Harden out of our company Wm. H. McNew is well as yet. They changed (charged?) us this morning with 6 lines of battle. We had but one line tho, we were in breast work. Our loss was about 8 this morning. There was about 16 hundred Yankees killed in front of our breast works and this place and report is that we are whiping them all around the line about 15 miles. All the rest of the boys is yet alive of that neighborhood as far as I have heard. Write soon. I will have to close if I get out alive. I will write all about it. The Yankee prisoners say they have 2 hundred thousand men on this side of the river. I would be surprised and this fight last 8 or 10 days. I will close hoping to hear from you soon. I yet remain your loving cousin till death,
John S. Colley (Holley)
Wrote by the hands of a friend, I.M.T.
Murdock.
Mr. Blackwell please let my folks know that I am alive and well. They are
charging now and I have to close.
Your friend,
I.M.T. Murdock