Va
	In front of Petersburg
	      March 27th -65


D M Bagley Esqr
		Dear Sir
		         Your
kind favor of the 14th inst
came duly to hand and
is now before me and I will
take this occasion to express
my grattitude towards you for
  the pains taken by you
to keep me posted in both
local and general news
   Saturday morning the 25th 
we had quite a lively time
along here. The Rebs made
an attempt to go to City Point
and destroy our Stores at
that place how far they

succeeded you will See
Owing to the neglect of the
pickets of the 3d Brigade
of our Division who hold the
line between our brigade and
the first brigade the Rebels
under command of Bushrod
Johnson got through the
main line and got 
possession of fort Stedman
the next fort to the left of
ours and situated in a
high and commanding
position and had turned
the guns of that fort upon
us before we knew what they
were doing but we hurried
to our places and soon the
bullets began to whistle over
from front and rear and
the Shell and shot were
raining into our beleaguered

fort. In front we could
hear them forming their line
to charge and the 2nd Mich
the next regt to our left
were driven into our fort
It was just before dabreake
the darkest hour of the night
and our prospect looked
dark enough just at this
time but we made up
our minds that if they
got our fort they would
have to do some [tuff?]
fighting and so we blazed
away at them but we had
hardly got sight of the
advancing foe in front ere
they disappeared behind their
works. Our three [Cohan?] Mortars
and two 12 [illegible in original] field peices
were worked with a will
Soon after daylight we could

	Ssee that they were
beginning to retreat and
make for their own works
and then we set up a
Shout and give them the
best that we could
and by 1/2 past [6?] Oclock we
had the works all back and
the fight was over towards
the last the prisoners just
poured into our fort until 
there was more of them
than of us Our regt and
the Second took more
prisoners than there is
fighting men in the two
regts. The most of them
Seemed to be verry much
pleased to be taken by
us but they were miserably
clothed and half starved [illegible in original]

There was about a dozen
wounded of our regt L W Hull
Slightly wounded in the hand
was the only one of Co A
I dont think that our whole
loss will exceed 500 and
the enemy lost as near as
I have been able to ascertain
2400 prisoners 500 wounded
and 200 killed Johnsons Ajt
General was killed within 
our lines.
     Sherridans Cavalry are
passing in the rear of us
towards Hatchers run to
day Some of the first and
5th Mich Cavalry were in
our camp today they look
as though they had Seen
hard Service and I think
the johnies will Soon hear
from them again Somewhere

The news from all
     parts still continues
to be verry encouraging and
we hope that the rebels
will Soon See the error
t of their ways throw
down their arms and
			    t
Submit to the governmen^
and the Constitution as
it is! excuse poor writing
as I write in a hurry
	Yours
	     Truly
		T W Brownell

    Enclosed I send you
a rebel letter and envellop
picked up on the battle
field of the 25th inst

[Written upside down on bottom of Scan 7]

		T.W. Brownell
		Private Co. A. 20th
		Michigan Infantry
		near Petersburg, Va.
		  March 27, 1865.
		Enclosing letter from
		 North Carolina Rebel
		 soldier to his niece.

		  The Regiment is diss-
		 charged & the writer
		 has returned safe.