“We penetrated down in the state along the line of the Charleston and Ohio Railroad to Egypt Station, where we met the Enemy to the number of 7 to 9 hundred, and a Battle ensued immediately. We made three charges before we could make any impression upon their lines. In the third charge just in the last of the fight, and on the very moment of a gallant victory, your son received a ball in the side, a little above the left hip. But thank God not so as to endanger his life.”

Item No. 0577742

In this January 1865 letter, Corporal William H. Arndt of the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry writes to the mother of a comrade who was wounded during the Battle of Egypt Station, December 28, 1864. After the Union victory over John Bell Hood’s Confederates at Nashville in mid-December, Brigadier General Benjamin Grierson was ordered to raid into Mississippi with three cavalry brigades in order to disrupt rebel logistics along Hood’s route of retreat. On Christmas Day, Grierson’s troopers destroyed a cache of supplies at Verona before continuing their way south. Three days later, they attacked a force of rebels at Egypt Station that included four artillery pieces mounted on rail cars. Grierson’s men drove them away, capturing over five hundred prisoners, among whom were two hundred “galvanized yankees” from southern prison camps. Sergeant Allston was among four dozen Union men who were too badly wounded to ride, and were left behind in the care of a surgeon while the column continued its march.

While Arndt believed at the time that Allston’s wound would not “endanger his life,” records list Allston as killed at Egypt Station on December 28.

The letter was written on four pages of a bifold letter sheet measuring about 5” x 8”. Light foxing and toning. Creased at the original folds. The full transcript follows.

Camp Kargé, Jan 9th 186[5]
Memphis Tenn.

Ms. Alston
As a friend to your son Thomas, I take the responsibility to write to you of a slight misfortune that has befallen your son. The 20th of Dec we started on an expedition down in the state of Mississippi for the purpose of destroying Railroads to hinder the operations of Hood’s Army. We penetrated down in the state along the line of the Charleston and Ohio Railroad to Egypt Station, where we met the Enemy to the number of 7 to 9 hundred, and a Battle ensued immediately. We made three charges before we could make any impression upon their lines. In the third charge just in the last of the fight, and on the very moment of a gallant victory, your son received a ball in the side, a little above the left hip. But thank God not so as to endanger his life. I helped him to a temporary hospital where there was a Surgeon in attendance, and saw him in bed when I left him for a short time. I soon returned to him just as our Regt was leaving and asked him how he felt. He wasn’t in much pain and was in good spirits. He expressed a wish that I would address his friends and have them know his condition, and that they shouldn’t feel any way bad about his misfortune, for he would soon be with them again, well and hearty. The ball that hit him passed through a tent and rubber blanket rolled on his saddle, and also through the cantle of the saddle, so you may judge that the wound is nothing serious.

I have been a tentmate and friend of your son since the Death of Curtis, your fellow townsman. I always valued him very highly as a friend, and none can grieve his loss more than I. There is 4 letters here for him, which I shall keep in my possession until directions from you. As it was a Raid that we was upon, we left your son behind with more than a hundred of our Regt with a doctor to attend them. There is a flag of truce going from here with provisions for them, and if I can get any information from [him] I will forward it to you immediately.

Please excuse all blunders. For any information as instructions as to his things, please address William H. Arndt, Corpl. Co. F, 2 N.J. Cav.