Wednesday, May 11th, 1864

Still rainy.  Dr. did not come to-day.

Peggy's comments:
On May 11, Rufus wrote to his wife Mary, but it would take several days before she received the letter.  

Line of Battle, May 11^th 1864 Through God’s blessing I am yet alive, and beside the fearful tax upon my energies, mental and physical, have nothing to complain of and everything to be thankful for.  For six long days we have been under the deadly musketry.  On the morning of May 5^th our brigade lost near eight hundered men; the same night a hundred more; the next moring two hundred more.  We marched all night to come here (7^th), and next day (8^th) we charged the enemy and were repulsed, and the next day (10^th), we twice attacked and were driven back, and every moment the balls, shot and shell have whistled around us.  Major Plummer, Captain Kellogg, Captain Converse, Lieutenant Pruyn and Lieutenant Graetz are in their graves.  Captain Remington, Lieut. Timmons and Lieut. J. L. Converse are wounded.  The perils of the last week have been fearful.  I cannot hope to pass thus safely through another such.  Colonel Bragg commanded a brigade of Pennsylvania troops and I have commanded the regiment since the second day.  Our loss in killed and wounded is about one hundred and forty men.  The batle must soon be renewed.  I cannot write now.  The frightful scenes of the last week make my heart almost like a stone.