Warrenton July 15 [1863]

Dear Friend Hattie
with
pleasure I rest my self
to answer your letter
which I received last
friday. we had a meeting
to day and I have just
got back had a good
sermon these wer the
words The Lord reignth
Let the World rejoice.
We went on a scout yesterday
they turned us out at [2?]
in the morning and started
at 4 the 7 Co. went our Co.
[page 2]
and Co only went as far
as the Rappahannock we
all went acrost the river
and halted then they sent
Co. D. &. L. ahed and Co. F.
and C. back acrost the
rivver and left the other
2 Co. to guard the ford
(when we first crost the
rivver my hors stumbled
and liked to go went all under
and wet me considerable
the watter come most over
his back.) after we got back
crost the river we started
down the rivver through
field and pastures most
of the time a galloping
then is when you have to
look out for No 1 for in
the tall grass you will
go into a ditch before you
know it and some time they
[page 3]
will halt in front and
the rear wont hear the
order and their horses
will runn outo the others
and perhaps knock them
most down besides stoping
them selves so quick that
it will throw you over
their heds if you donot
look out we went in that
way for 2 miles I should think
but not in a strait line
for we went in all direct-
tions but found no Rebels.
after we got back to the
ford the other 2 Co. went ahed
and we stoped and guarded
the ford the Co. that went
scouting on the other side
took a prisoner that belonged
to the 17th Va. Reg. he was
wounded in the arm and
home on a furlough and they
[page 4]
got a [???] and a 4 horse
team and two mares 1 black and
1 white I think the team
and two men wer taken
at the rivver. after they got
back we went to the sulfer
springs and it was the
handsomest place I have
seene yet it has been
a splendid place but it
is going to ruins fast it
has been a great resort for
the Bigbugs. the house made
me think of storys I have
read about old Castles going
to ruins. there was 25 houses
I should think the largest
200 or 300 ft long and built in
proportion back of this there
was perhaps 2 acres sat out
with Trees and here was the
springs and they wer fixed
up splendid I cannot begin to
[continued in right margin and top margin]
write how things looked I wish you could see the
place then you would know
[continued in top and right margin of page 1]
[??] Hattie it seames
that Liz has got worried
and every letter I get
I expect to hear of some
one else following the
example you think that
you and Nell [???] I hope
you wont [fors?] when I
get home I donot want
[???] every body to
be married the story
is that we are going to
Culpepper tomorrow they
say that there is some
Rebbel forces there.
I would like to get a
chance to shoot 1 if no
more well my sheat
most full and I rekon I must close and you
will have a rite smart job to read this if you cannot
read it keep it untill I get home
and I will read it for you. I should thought that the boys
would be ashamed to leave you at
[written in bottom margin of page 3]
home alone the 4th you wanted to know how
i spent my 4 the same as all other
days Tuesday not excepted. write soon excuse all blunders
[written upside down in top margin]
write soon I must [???] old [???] good
[written in left margin]
cherrys are about played out I got some night before last
and they wer nice ones I wished you was here to get some
[written in left margin of page 2]
I wished you could eat some of the pies they arent half
as good as your brown bread [?????????] darkeys come to [spil?] them and they
the crust [??] mighty shorted [reckon?] if you can make out this [???]
again good night
your friend All