This is a letter from Private or Corporal Aaron Baker, Jr., who served within Company H of the 13th Pennsylvania Reserves (1st Rifles), to Miss Annie Taylor, on the death of her brother, Colonel Charles Frederick “Fred” Taylor, 1st Rifles.
Private/Corporal Baker was on picket duty near Sharpsburg & Hagerstown Rd. on Saturday, July 11th, 1863, after the battle of Gettysburg.
Miss Annie Taylor,
Yours of the 6th just received. You ask concerning the fall of a brother. I am very sorry that what little information I had was not sent immediately but relying on others more capable is my excuse. He fell at (I suppose about 6 o’clock) in the extreme front – he was urging the men forward [and] about the last words he spoke before he fell were to a rebel reg’t not over fifty yards in front of us. He called to them to halt & surrender. He fell, I was with him in an instant. He told me where he was wounded & asked for water. After taking a little water, blood began to come from his mouth & he seemed to want to say something. All I could understand was “Mum,” “Mum.” I do not think that he lasted over two minutes. I helped to carry him off the field & took charge of what few things he had about him, which things I afterward turned over to Capt. [John] Yerkes. Lieut. [George] Ludlow, Co. E of this reg’t, was with the body and told me he would have it sent home. So I went back to the front and next day found that Lieut. Ludlow had taken the body to a hosp. and there left it, when two of our boys, [Joseph D.] West [and] W. T. Gause found it and did all they could under the circumstances. Believing I have told you all as best I could, I remain very respectfully, Your most obedient servt., Aaron Baker.