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Camp 5 miles from Knoxville Tenn Nov 7th, 1862
Mrs Gaffney
Your letter dated Nov 1st was handed to me
yesterday evening. I will try and answer all your
inquiries. I shall ever regret that could not see
him in his last moments, yet I think I have -
perfectly correct reports of "his" death.
In that first place there was [illegible] Perryville [illegible] the 8th of
Oct until about 2 1/2 P.M. when we were ordered to
advance in line of battle toward a place about -
two miles distant where some of the enemy were
supposed to be. We went about one mile and halted
while the battery belonging to our brigade threw seven or
eight shells as feelers for the Yankees. It was determined
that we were too far from them, and we were ordered to
advance. We moved forward about a half mile and halted
for three or four minutes. In the mean time the enemy
had commenced shelling us but with no effect as yet
Our battery also threw some shell while we were at
that place. The infantry in our brigade had done
no fighting yet, but were badly faded from their
march through newly plowed fields and over fences
We were waiting calmly when the foolish order to charge
the enemy battery. Our position was an unlucky one
over
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to charge 'one' battery (as we thought) and there were
two, one near the other. One had been silent until we
commenced the charge. We raised a shout and -
advanced double-quick in a hail storm of lead and
iron, and just here your dear husband fully evidenced
his courage and coolness by his encouraging remarks
to the men under his command. At one time a shell
fell and bursted just under his feet as I thought. As
soon as the dust had cleared away so he could see, he
turned to me who was just behind him and very coolly
remarked, "George that was pretty close." and made a
request that I shall ever deeply regret I was unable to
comply with. He requested that if he fell and I
escaped, to take his valuables from his body and convey
them to you. He was not wounded yet. Several had
been wounded in our co and one killed.
We advanced to within one hundred and twenty five yards of
one of the enemies batteries ("his" clear voice ringing above
the din) and lay down [crossed out: and lay down] partly sheltered by
an old fence row where we were ordered to commence firing
Just here I missed Lieut Gaffney from the front rank
and made loud inquiry "Where is Lieut Gaffney." he
answered me "here" and was in his proper position
just behind me and told me to take my place two
paces in rear of the company I partly[?] obeyed him
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and commenced loading and firing. I do not think I
looked behind me again in fifteen minutes but when I
did look the Lieut was not there. I again made loud
inquiry "Where is Lieut Gaffney" and no one could tell
I was left in command of the company and of course
could not leave it then. It was some time I guess
half an hour when I learned that he was wounded in
the foot (I do not know which one) and was on his way off
the battle field supported by Sergt Jarell. I then -
became easy, thinking he was safe.
After holding the position for about an hour we
were ordered to move by the right flank. We did so
and commenced our retreat. We retreated in order by the
flank to the position that we had at first left and
on the retreat I was told by Capt Tucker and Sergt. Major
King that my dear friend and your Husband had
been again struck through the heart. He had just -
remarked to Sergt Jarrell that he should never forget him
for the aid he had given him.
His body was not removed but I suppose it was buried
by some of our cavalry next morning I know some
Confederate cavalry was on the battle ground next morning
but do not know what company.
His health had improved very much and he was in fact
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well for about the first time since we left Chattanooga
though he had walked the whole distance except one days
march. I know that he had received no letters from
home since we started on the march. None of our
regiment could communicate home or receive communications
from there as there was no mail facilities that we
could hear of. He did often speak of you and
his little ones and we sympathized one with the other
in our anxiety to see our loved ones at home.
The watch procured by Sergt Jarrell was not the watch
you sent but one he had bargained for a few days
before the battle. Who did you send the watch and other
articles by? He has never received them that I know of.
- Sergt Jarrell took the watch & sword from his
body but [illegible] too closely pressed I suppose to secure any
thing else. I have sent by Mr. Culver nearly all of his
things, and shell send all that I can get as soon as
possible. About the knife, I know he had two or three
knives but do not think he brought either from home
They were all lost I think I have not seen them since
the battle. The Ambrotype & Bible I sent by Mr Culver also some [illegible] letters etc. I also sent a marble picked up
in Kentucky by him to carry to his little boy.
You may rest assured that I daily sympathize with
you and will comply with all your requests as far as I can
for his sake as well as yours for he was a warm friend of mine and one
that I greatly miss. In answer to your inquiry "to whom will you
look for comfort, I refer you to a kind and
merciful Creator in Whom we should all put
our Trust. May God have mercy on us
GW Cherry
