November 19th, 1863 

Dear Cousin Hen,

Your welcome letter is at hand. . . We are Laying in Camp about 5 mile from the last battle ground, the Rappahanack Station, and about 5 mile from the Enemey along the Rapadan river. They are building Winter Quarters behind thare Intrenchments, expecting I suppose to winter thare. But they was never more mistaking in thair lives. . . For we will have them out of thare Quicker than hell ever scortched a Father. They are everdently arfraid of Meade, for they (The Rebs) say themselves that he is the best General that we ever had. As for my part, I like him as well as I did McClellan. I will give you a small sketch of the last Fight.

Last Saterday two weeks ago we left Camp near Warrenton at 5 O’clock A.M. and marched toward the Rappanack. I never thought for a moment when we started that I would hunt up a Fight. But allong toward 10 O’clock I began to smell a mise. After marching for abt. 6 mile I saw our calvery coming back from the Front like the divel. Then I knew thare was something up ahead. So we was pushed on without rest until 2 O’clock P.M. when we come in sight of the station. And I looked ahead and on a big hill I saw a Big line of Skirmishers deployed. We was drawn in line of Battle just out of the woods, and then I found out they was Rebble Skirmishers. So we . . . moved up in line of Battle without any Skirmishers in front of us. The Gray Backs thought we was a calvery force dismounted, and they, the dam fools, stood for us and they had the cheek to show fight. As soon as we got within gun shot of them they let drive. . . and run for thair Rifle Pits. We marched on up the hill without returning thair fire untill we got to the top, when the ]ohnies opened on us with Shell from a Battery of 4 pieces. The first shell took one of our mens legs off above the knee, clean, but the rest of the shells went over us. In the meantime we got 2 Batterys in Posision and began to Play hell with them in General. While we drawed thair attension in Front the 6th Maine Regt. was sent in the rear to flank them on the right, Which they done in good stile. Then we thought they had fun Enough and all on thair own side to. We opened on them, and you would laugh to hear the Rebs hollar Oh and drop as our Boys began to fead them leaden pills of Unkle Sams make. They stood the press pretty well for some time, and our men got on top of them in the rear of thair rifle pits before they knew it . . . the Cannoneers saw them and stood by thair guns Untill the 6th Maine boys went to take the Pieces. Then the Johnies pulled the Cord and blade some of them clean from the mouth of the Cannons. That got the rest of the boys mad up, and they sung out No Quarters and commenced bayonetting the rebs. The Gray Backs fell on thair knees baging for Mercy & thair lives. But it was no go. Thare was a grate many got killed in Cold Blood. About dusk they gave in and Surrended and we got 23 Hundred at that hall, besides the live stock they had on them and the 4 pieces of Cannon. Our Batterys kept Shelling them untill 8 O’clock, when everything became still for the night. We lay in the first line of Battle all night Expecting some fun in the morning. But the ]ohny Rebs was gone. The time we was fighting them at the Station the Third Corps had tackled them about 4 mile to our left, at Kellys Ford. They whipped hell out of the Rebs and took 400 prisoners, but they was Supported with 4-32 pounders that raked the Rebbles before they made the charge. The Adjutant of the 6th Maine sot on his horse clapping his hands cheering on his men when a Piece of Shell from the rebs came and took both hands of by the rists. Now I have wrote pretty mutch all of note and you can judge what the Fight looked like as well as I can explain it to you. So I will leave you to think it over. I wanted to start the Saloon in New York when I come home. I guess I will buy some one out. It will be as cheap as it would to fit one up. I wrote to Hiram the same time I wrote to you. But I have not heard from him since. If you see him ask him why he dont write tell him he is a hell of a fellow I think

Give my love to all and Write soon From your Cousin as before Lieut. A. T. Perine Co. C. 62d NYSV 

Kerr, M. (1955) In love and friendship.