Camp near Fairfax station V Oct 18th 63
Dear Sister Phebe Yours of the 11th
came to hand tonight and as
it has ben over a week since I received
a mail and much longer time
since I got a letter I sertangly
received yours with great pleasure
Wile I was at Culpepper I sent
you my Abrotype but as you
say nothing about it in your
letter I supose you did not receive it
or it may be you have written
befor and I have not received
the answer I wrote to you
that the generous honest and
Brave Wm Barker died after a
short ilness, this his folks knows
long before this as they have sent
on to see if his body could not
be sent home but when their
letter arived It was thought
rather dificult task to get
what living men safely back
to the defences of Washington
[page 2]
as we where hotly presed by
the enemy His friends no doubt
would feel much better to
have him braught home but to
my mind the most apropriate
place for a Soldiers grave is
in the plase where he ofers up
his life in the servise of his
country We had a prety quick
march back to this place we
met with nothing but about
five hundred Cavelry who
headed us of[f] or to use a military
phrase ou flanked us, but Gen
Birny made short work of them
He leading the charge we went
through the woods at a double
quick when they took back
tracks and we went on
our way undisturbed our
regiment had one slightly
wounded the second Corps
had more fighting it came
in the next morning
with 500 Prisoners and 5 cannon
[page 3]
Since we arived here we hve
witnessed the unpleasent sight
of the shooting of a deserter he
had deserted 2 times and once
he went over to the enemy and
told them where our trains
laid so that they might
capture them, he was escorted to
his grave by a band of musick
playing the sad strain of the death
march and the provo guard
one of wich was Wm Bodge he
was acompined by the chaplain
of his reg” the his coffin was
caried before him when he arived
at the grave he was seated on
one end of the cofin and blind
folded when twelve of the guard
fired putting nine Bals through
his breast when he feell instantly
dead life is sweet but we know
we must all of us die then
why not die a glourious death
wen there is so many changes
to do so
[page 4]
as you may infer that Wm Bodge was
one of the guard that shot this man
I wille say that he was not one of them
We are now laying in a temporary
Camp and what is in stor none
of us knows We have had our knapsacks
paced all day ready to march at
a moments notice but the order
was countermanded just as night
if the rebs do not trouble us I
think the Dogs of War will be
put in their kenels this
winter some where in this vicinity
as for my self I do not wory. for
once in my life I thaught I
was a gorn goose and got
safely out. since then I
let the world wag as it will
as for that house when we got it
done a soldier came in with out
Blanket or tent and
as he had no chance to sleep
we took him in and so
slept very close for two nyts
the third night we enjoyed
it our selve the next day
we were up and away
sleeping upon the ground
in the open air when we halted
to do so such is war M.P. Larry