Nov 3rd 62
Goose Creek Near Blue ridge
Dear Friends I now snatch a few
moments wil I sit upon my
napsack to adres you a few lines
to let you know that I
am alive and well and also
that all our boys except
O Galerson and Winter are
on duty, We left Leesburg
on the first and encamped
upon a large range of hills
that aforded a Grand view
of the Blue ridge I wish
I could discribe to you the
grand and Picturesque
senery here aforded such
melow tints and lofty peaks
that Lay one piled upon
another with all their varied
outlines [words scratched out]
aforded a prospect that would
awaken the admiration of the
nost sordid minds
[page 2]
As I walked out upon
the high ridge where
we was encamped and saw
thousand of men moving
in all directions their bayonets
glisning in the sun the
artilery ready to belch forth
the thunder at any moment
I wished that you might
have ben here to have enjoyed
the sene, If you could see
the long range of mountings
as they recede faded in the
dif distance the grand outlines
you might have caught the
idear how to paint a range
of hills with out
loocking simetrical or mechanical
but enough of this you may
have the pleasure of seeing much
more with out one half
the pains but when you
go to a show all is see all
[page 3]
you can and dwell long
upon that you best like
we are now advancing to
wards the enemy I think we
are going through the gap in
the blue ridge where the rail
road pases through at hope
vill Siegel in there and
we are either to prevent
the enemy retreting through this gap from
Winchester Wile the forces
that are coming down the from
up the shenandoah valey from harpers
fery to Winchester or we
are to get through this gap and
peper them in the rear this
is but conjecture on my part
but all is when I looked
over this country I proferseed
where we should go so far it
has ben corect And I have
great hopes of this campaign
and think there is a move
[page 4]
going on that will be efective
give us three weeks of good
wether and Richmond
aught to be ours if it ever is
We are now encamped in a
large corn field and there
has ben corn enough wasted
since last night to surport
many familys one winter
but war is destructive
and the boys all go in for
the confiscation if it only
afords them any benifet
we are now wating for the
word forward and I for
one am ready to hear it
as I beleave I am not
traveling for nothing
and may the next news
you hear from us be victory
the Boys are all ready and
willing to fight but you
hear but little brag W do not
half the dred of batle that we did
on camp king M.P.L.