Civil War Surgeon's Letter by Francis D. Morris of the 35th Ohio Volunteers with Battle of Peach Tree Creek Content. ...

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A surgeon's letter describing wounds suffered in graphic detail

Civil War Surgeon's Letter by Francis D. Morris of the 35th Ohio Volunteers with Battle of Peach Tree Creek Content. Four pages of a bifolium, 7 3/4 x 9 3/4 inches; Vining's Ridge, Georgia; August 7, 1864. Francis Morris writes to fellow surgeon Abraham Landis describing the fighting and wounds incurred at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek less a few weeks earlier. In part: "...you might desire to hear from me the particulars of the calamity that occurred to us on Aug [actually July] 20th. That morning we were ordered to occuppy some deserted rebel entrenchments in our front, and to throw out a strong skirmish line in front of them. In moving to the position, two men were slightly wounded. One received a flesh wound in the shoulder. The other was struck with a speed ball on the hand. Companies A. B. & D were thrown out as skirmishers. They did not move far away from the entrenchments. They all testify that it was a hotter place than any they have been in since Chicamauga [sic]. They were exposed to a direct fire and alsa to a double enfilading of fire, From front the from the right, from the left, the bullets whistled & hissed. How any of the escaped is a marvel. Poor Capt. Daugherty was shot through the heart! Black of comp. D was struck about the middle of the tibia of right fore leg, and the ball was divided in halves, and the sections passed around the bone at either side and lodged under the integument over the belly of the Gastrocnemius. Harris Comp F a vet, lost the middle toe of left foot. Many had their blouses and pants pierced with bullets. The men were without any means of erecting defenses and had to take advantage of inequalities in the ground when they were in the open field, and when they were in the woods, a tree afford them a slight protection... We were relieved about 1 P.M. and marched to the entrenchments, that had been built the night before, just after haveing crossed the creek, Peach tree creek. We had to sustain other losses however before the day was done. You may remember that on that day the Rebels attacked Newton's Div of the 20th Corps and a Brigade of Johnston's Div. 14th Corps. During the progress of that battle the Rebs. Shelled us for one hour as vigorously as possible. A piece of shell struck Hosaple Comp. C on the head severing the temporal art and also amputating very nearly the index finger of his left hand. A little afterwards, Foster of Comp. G had the Ant. part of the Os Ilis, and the integument superficial fascia and muscles, down to the peritoneum torn away leaving the bowels in sitio, but intact. He died the third day after. Many were hit by spherical case shot and only slightly injured. And the evening of the next day was an unfortunate period for us..." He continues his letters by describing additional wounds suffered from accidental friendly fire concluding, "if rebel bullets did not do the work our own would. Nothing depresses me so much as an accidental wound, produced by carelessness or criminal negligence."

Morris was initially commissioned into Field & Staff of the Ohio 35th Infantry in September 24, 1861 and was discharged on disability on August 6, 1862. He was recommissioned the following year and served until being mustered out on September 27, 1864, just weeks after writing this letter. Includes the original transmittal cover.

Condition: Flattened folds, with light soiling on the last page. Envelope has been torn open along the right, with loss of a few letters.