Letter from Co. C, 2d Wis
Camp near Belle Plain, Va.
Feb, 7th, 1863

FRIEND COVER: – we have the pleasure to receive the Herald quite regular, it is always a very welcome visitor. In the edition of the 27th inst., we find a communication,  by a certain Mr. C. B. who, as it seems, is making great efforts by the aid of your valuable sheet to run down the 2nd Wis and whitewash the 7th and take the glory for it. I wish the valiant Knight would not be rough on us and stay within the limits of truth. It appears that the lines in your former issue which gave the 2nd some praise and us, I believe, nothing more than it merits set the said C. B. into an awful seat. It must have went seriously against his stomach to have the Ragged Second called fighting ditto. Accordingly he tries to work off his bile by the eruption with which he gives vent to his feelings in the Herald.
He comes in for the lion share of the fame and laurels but methinks he has chosen a very bad method for accomplishing his desire towards his companions on terms. It seems that newspapers are the only refuge for such characters to vindicate themselves.
The public must be surely aware of the fact that the Second was of course the Bear at the battle of Fredericksburg, but how is it that there were none killed and wounded in the regiment. The 7th was, as a matter of course, the principal body of troops to be relied upon for the protection of the left wing of the whole army and for the reason pushed into the advance. I do not want to give a long account on what we did and didn’t do. Suffice it to say that for the greater part of the time the Second had to do picket duty deployed as skirmishers and the flanking companies actually engaged in skirmish with the corn Feds. This is not meant as self praise but a vindication and Mr. C. B. should have known that self praise is a poor recommendation. You may have received letters from us but as as far I know there was no practice made to elevate ourselves or depress the reputation of them for our Motto is Suvm Cuique.
By the perusal of the records of causalities in the different regiments, Mr. C. B. would have found that the 2d has been the most ill fated and by comparison he may perhaps become convinced that Co. C, especially, lost more men that any other company which left Grant County.
How does this correspond with the question of the advance position? Does the gentleman recollect Gainesville, (or was he perchance with the wagon train)?
Does he know which regiment was called into action first and why? Because Gen. Gibbon was aware that the Second had been previously under fire, (at Bull Run, first, but had to retreat like the rest of the army.) He fully perceived the dangerous position his Brigade was placed in and he confidently sent the 2nd in to show the modus operandi. At South Mountain he remarks that we were in the rear again.
He must be very well posted but, nevertheless, he made a very serious mistake. He may have limbered to the rear and mistook the war, the battalions were in line of battle. So to strengthen his memory, I will only say that the 19th Indiana and 2nd occupied one side of the turnpike, while the 7th and 6th were on the other. He must, indeed, find it very tantalizing to those having friends in the 7th to hear the recognition of the fighting bestowed upon a sister regiment. But we are not all fractious for a name or title and quite willing to substitute the old nickname of the Ragged A-; this may be some reconciliation.
I see that he forgot to mention that we were rear guard again in the last disastrous advance. But the people of Grant County ought to know it and I will tell them of it and the duty of a rear guard, which is to pick up stragglers etc. It may be that he had reasons for not doing so because, as performing our duty, we picked lots of such men up as Mr. C. B. in distance corners and hiding places; such heroes were tying to heel it, instead of toeing up towards the enemy while their fellow combatants marched forward.
Away from, guns, bombs and shells Mr. C. B. shows great valor in wielding his pen, the roar of musketry don’t weaken his nerves. Should he, after this, piously aspire toward glory, I will help him. In case he as few greenbacks to spare, a competent New York reporter who will make him a cid or Bayard, elevate him to the highest notch and till higher if required. For my part I do not make any practice in corresponding with papers but I wish Mr. C. B. would take the proverb at heart: “Virtus Fortitudine Vincet.”
Abolitionist