Hall's 2nd Maine Battery at Gettysburg

Transcribed Copy of Hall's Letter:


     .... "We again bore the brunt of the battle at Gettysburg on the
1st day of July (ant the first of the fight).  I was the advance Artillery
of the Army of the Potomac and was engaged for more than an hour
before any battery came to our assistance.  And you may well know we
got badly hurt.  36 horses & 22 men in about one hour and a half -
My loss in men was many of them slightly wounded and several taken
prisoner so close was the action.  We were so reduced in horses that 
we were obliged to drag two guns off by hand.  The boys fought
like the D-, never better.  You may judge when I tell you that
many of our horses were not shot but bayoneted that it was a
close and desperate struggle for our guns, two of which they
actually had hold of at one time.  I have seen hard fighting before.
And been badly smashed up, but I never saw a battery taken from the
field and its guns saved in so bad a state as the Old Second came of
that day.  On thursday and friday we were engaged on Cemetery Hill
and suffered only slightly. - The victory on our part on friday the 3d was
most glorious.

      We are in line of battle and momentarily expecting a battle although
I think at times Lee has escaped. - As soon as we get into camp, the 
monthly return for June will be forth coming.

                                         I have the honor

Genl John L. Hodsdon           to be very Respectfuly
  Augusta                                 Your Obt. Servt.
     Maine                                        James A. Hall"