Instead, the Army of the Potomac settled in for a siege of the city. This process, though slower and less dramatic, still had the potential to accomplish Grant’s goals. Captain Truckey caught a musket ball in his leg. The surgeons managed to remove the bullet and he seemed to be healing. He insisted on remaining with the 27th, staying involved with us as much as he could, and though he never complained, I could see the wrench of pain etched behind his eyes. At my first opportunity I wrote a letter to Emma. She knew I would tell her honestly about her father’s condition, and I assured her that he would pull through his injury. I hated the thought of my dear friend discovering that her father had been shot, how worried she and her family would be, but other than my letter of assurance, I couldn’t do a whole heck of a lot more. I used the brief down time to double my efforts in asking anyone and everyone about my brother.
