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Madison Station Ala May 18th 1864 Dear Brother, Undoubtedly the telegraph has informed you of the attack upon this place yesterday; and a belief that you will have many conflicting and exaggerated reports prompts me to write a plain brief and accurate account of the whole affair. Since we came to this place we have been without cavalry and the picket duty has been done entirely by infantry. The pickets are stationed about a quarter of a mile and on each road. Not having tents for the Regt. the different companies were scattered about in the houses of the village. Yesterday [illegible] of [illegible] our teams with a small escort started out on the road leading to the river and as they were on the front of passing our pickets they were fired upon and immediately a body of rebel Cavalry made their appearance in sight of the village. The rebels any that