Berry, George L. Letters (1861-1864)

              [page 1]
Camp of the 5th Regiment 
Aug. 1st, 1861 

Brother Cy 	

I received your letter and I was happy 
to hear that you was well I am as 
well as as can be expected for me 
by the way you wrote that 
the paper said that their was 
40 killed 60 wounded and 300 taken 
prisenors but that is not so 
there is about 100 mising that 
is killed wounded and taken 
prisenors all together our loss 
is estimated at about 1500 killed 
and wounded and 800 taken 
priseners that is as near as they 
can come to it now but I think 
there is more than that missing 
but we shall find out 
in the course of a few days and then 
I will write again but I tell you 
it was a hard fought battle now 
I tell you but it was so willed 
that I should live throu it 
but I tell you it was a narrow chance 
but I see by the paper they 
giav our maine Boys a little credit 

[page 2]
for our brigade was the last to 
leave the field we would lay 
down on our backs and load and 
then get up and fire we fired 
twenty two rounds that way and 
then we got the order to retreat 
but I loaded and fired again 
before [I ?] started  i don’t like to 
speak ill of our officers but I have 
to for I dont think they done 
their duty by us I think 
that general mcdowell is a 
secesionest and I think that 
was why we got beat and 
that is the general opinion 
of all of the soldiers and officers 
out here but it may not be 
so in the first place he 
place he marched our battery 
up and they commenced fireing 
and instead of keeping our [illegible] 
back to guard them he marched 
our wright up in front of their 
masked batteries and that was 
why we lost so many men I think  
but we wont say any thing more 
about that this time 

[page 3]
by the way Cy 
I have got some good news 
to tell you we haint got 
to stay out here only three 
months govner Washburn and 
Mayor Thomas of Portland 
and leonard Andrews was out 
here yesterday and they said so 
I hope it is so you tell [hod ?]
not to come out here for if 
he does he will get sick again 
I cant write any more 
this time only tell miss 
abbott that uncle Philip 
is all wright with thim 
and tell corry and his father 
that albert is as rugid as a 
bear give my love to all 
of the folks and flory that 
I will write to her next 
time. direct your letter the 
same as before you must 
excuse bad writing for I have 
set down on the ground and 
write on a book my legs 
ake awfully so I guess will 

[page 4]
Close write often wont you 
you for I like to hear from home 
as well as you like to hear from 
me ther Good by this from 

Brother George 

P.S. by the way our 
encampment is about two miles 
from Alexandria toward 
Fairfax. Write as soon as you 
get this wont you dont forget it from 

George L. Berry 

Washington 
D. C. 

5th Regt. M. V. M. 
Company D