Family correspondence – Williams Carter Wickham (1820-1888) with his wife, Lucy Penn Taylor Wickham (1830-1913) and young children, 1862 August-December

Topics include writing from Sudley Mills describes recent events that have greatly reduced his regiment and prevented his communicating with his family, noting that with 200 men Wickham charged the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry 800 strong, routing them and capturing a large number, mentioning that General Ewell has lost a leg [during the battle of Groveton] (August 30, 1862); currently near Frederick, Maryland (September 7, 1862); yesterday at Sharpsburg, Maryland, “fought probably the most desperate battle of the war” [Battle of Antietam], Wickham lost twenty men killed, wounded or missing, W.H.F. Lee’s horse fell with him, Lt. Colonel Thornton of the 3rd had his arm torn by a shell and died of shock, Hill Carter received two severe wounds at Boonsborough and was left in the hands of the enemy, very difficult to find anything to eat, as local people will not sell them anything, and Thomas L. Kane was just made a Brigadier General in the Union army (September 18 and 21, 1862). Reports on his safe return from an expedition to Pennsylvania with 1800 men (October 14 and 19, 1862); details of the cavalry raid to collect horses from Mercersburg, Chambersburg, and Emmitsburg (October 19, 1862); troops destroying the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (October 21, 1862); his participation recently in a serious battle with losses of 1500 killed or wounded [Battle of Fredericksburg], with the town of Fredericksburg totally devastated and mentions activities of Major General Ambrose Burnside (December 15 and 18, 1862).