Chancellorsville Voices: Abner Peace
The original letter below was provided by Waite Rawls, President of the Museum of the Confederacy (www.moc.org).
Abner Peace was Mr. Rawl's Great-Great Grand-Uncle and commanded a company in the 23rd North Carolina. The 23rd North Carolina was a part of Iverson's Brigade which flanked the Union "Buschbeck" line around 7pm on May 2, 1863 at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Abner D. Peace to William K. Peace
Camp Near Fredricksburg
May 9th /63
Dear Farther
I received a letter from you last evening and was quite glad to hear from you I am quite well considering the exposure which I have undergone for the last eight days having been marching and fighting during the whole time on the 1st inst we were exposed to a severe sheling on the 2nd we made the attack & struck the enemy on their flank completely routing them kept up the pursuit untill dark having charged them some 4 or 5 miles without a falter the men of our Division being nearly exhausted were relieved by fresh troops who held themselves in readiness for the attack next morning
I had 4 men wounded on this day James Suit in ankle Jno Mize in hand slight Sergt M A Coley in hand slight Dow Vaughan slight
The next morning the battle was resumed quite early and we were again ordered in. the battle had now grown desperately the enemy resisting very stubbornly Our Regt fought some two hours almost a hand to hand fight and being on the extreme left of our line our Brigade was out flanked and forced to give back several hundred yards not withstanding we had them routed in front Our Regt suffered severely on this we lost one hundred & sixty five killed wounded & missing during the two days battle my company suffered severely on the 2nd day I lost 4 men killed & 13 wounded The killed are Sidney Nance Sergt J R Kinton James A Winston & James T Goss Wounded are Sergt Rom slight in shoulder Corp Heflin slight in heel Corp OBrian flesh wound in thigh W J Rogers slight in leg J G Ferriell slight in shoulder Sam Clark severely leg amputated D G Crews severely in shoulder J H Coley severely in breast W H Duke severely in head H T Ellington severely shocked with bomb R H Fleming slig[h]t in hand Lt R V Minor slight in both thighs I was wo[u]nded slightly in arm also in toe with buck shot
The Yankies have now recrossed the river and every thing is quiet and we are now at our old camp It has been one of the hardest fought battles of the war Our victory is complete loss heavy on both sides I suppose the Yankies loss was twice ours
Write soon your affectionate son
A D Peace
P S George was sick when we commenced marching and was sent back to hospital I have not heard from him since
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