A Letter from Chester W. Hawley to William H. Bunnell, April 16, 1865

Farmville, Va
Camp 185th NYV
Apr 16th 1865
Mr Bunnell
Dear Sir
Yours of the 7th at
hand. You are right in supposing W.A.
Bunnell should read C. A. Bunnell.
  The shock of battle on 29th came late in P.M.
and darkness came on long before our
wounded & dead were brought. I was engaged
until near midnight in burying the dead. Your Bro.
fell so far from the position held during the night
that his body was not found until morning. He
was then found dead & buried by some of his com-
rades in the woods near where he fell.
The spot is on the "Lewis Farm" near the left of our
line of battle & was marked. I had not become
so intimately acquainted with him as to know
his spiritual condition. This I regret much,
He was shot through the heart & must have
died instantly. Seargt. Holmes saw him fall.

He is spoken of nobly in his company
as a good soldier.
    I hope the day is very near when
such sacrifice will be no longer
demanded. May God help you
to bear this sudden affliction.
Yours in much Sympathy
C. W. Hawley
Chaplain 185th N.Y.V.