Camp near Richmond
July 11th 1862
Miss I wrote
You on the other
sheet while I was near
the yankies but having no
chance to finish I will do so
this evening we drove
them some ten miles father
where they taken shelter
under their gunboats for
to keep from being killed
and and taken prisoners
on Sunday last I was
on picket I saw hundreds
if them but was not all—
owed to shot at thiem some
few of theim ware within
275 or 300 yds Sunday even
ing we were releived and
tuesday evening we started
[page 2]
where we now are
we arrived here yesterday
tired and almost worn out
coming back through the battle
field it was almost enough
to take ones breath (the awful
smell) on tuesday evening
The J[u]ly 1st here we suffered
a great deal we had some
60 woonded here we lay
in line of batel all
night = sometimes they
would show[er] us with
canister and grape
shot at other times
they would throw
in bombs and minie
balls they ware some
woonded on both sides
of me I exspected every
moment it would be
my time next but as
god would have it
[page 3]
I was spaired - during
the night I could here
the yankes moving their
artelery we ware roused
early nex morning exs
pecting a warm time
of it – but we soon
learnd to our great
Satisfaction that dur-
ing the night the
yankees had retreeted
here we lay a bout
of several hours we
we was a gain orderd
to persue our [deserted?]
enemy which was
done in splendid
order not with stand
ing our men was
tired and al most
broken down during
the day our [?????] [???]
[page 4]
up a great many
of the enemy a good
portion of thiem wore
drunk I am [???] [the?]
prisoners said that
their head men made
thim so in order
to make them fight
I tell you we taken
hundreds of one [thing?]
and another from
them they also burnt
thousands of dollars
worth of comissory
stores besides a great
many waggeons and
clothing
this paper that I am
writing on is some I [taken?]
from the yankees
I will close for the presant
hope to here from you
Soon your loving friend
L.L. Houk