Drury’s Bluff v.a.
July the th /62 [place for date left blank]
my Dear cousin
I Seat my Self this moring
to write you a few lines to
let you know that my
life is still Spaird and
am in very good health
acompied with the fond
hope that these few lines
may find you in the same
great Blessing
My Dear cousin it is only
By the aid of god that I this
morning am premited to
adress you with my pen
for nothing els could have
Brought us save [1] through the
dangers that we had to undergo
for the last month it is
shocking to look Back an
see the danger that we
[page 2]
have Bin in But some of
our good fellows had to fall
on the field in defens of
ther homes and friends while
thousands of us who was standing
By ther side are yet spaird
and no tonge cold tell the
thanks that Should Be given
to the most high
But my friend and cousin we
have Saw Some very hard
times since I have heard
from you we have Bin in
three fights since Two Small
skermish fights and Tuesday
the 1st day of July we had to
got into a regular hard fight
we was rushed into a place
where the enemy was throw
ing ther grape Shot at us
By the Bushel and Thousands
Shooting at us with ther
[page 3]
mus kets where you would a
thought that if a mans hat
had a Bin hel up in the air
that it was Bound to Be Shot
to pieces and yet we went
into it like men the fight
comenced at 4 oclock and hel
on tel 10.oclock in the knight
when we lay an had to listen
at the mourns of our pore
wounded men But could do
them no good well next morning
the last yakeys was gon that
was able to travail But my
friend many of them
was left in our hands that
could not get away that they
could not haul away Besides
the ded that caried out that
knight to hide them to keep
us from seeing how many They lost
[added upside down in upper margin of pages 2 and 3]
I did not Receive any reply for my letter that I wrote
But I sopose it has Bin mis placed By our moveing so I thought
it was my Duty to write you afew lins
[page 4]
But they did not the time hide
them tel had to leave so we found
some next morning we found at
at one place 800 men lying on
one pile that they intended to try
to get away Besides what was yet
lieing on the field well as soon
as we could Bier our ded we started
on in persuit of them and ther
was the sight to see to see the
ded and wounded men lying all
along the road side and the clothes
and arms that they to leave
in our hand this sight last for 25
miles where the took ther gun
Boats and left and I do ho will
never come Back we ar now stationed
at Drurys Bluff on James River 70
miles from Richmon so I must
close for this time if I could [see?]
I could yous something our time But
it[no?] use in trying to write any thing
about it so I will clos By hopeing
[continued upside down in top margin]
to hear from you soon yor
friend and cousing P. S. Whitener