Chantilly June 16th 1863
Dear Father I again sit
down to write again hooping
that these few lines will reach
you and that I may recieve
an answer I have but recieved
one letter since I have been
here and it was from siss
directed to the Hospital. I ame
well at presant and there is
considrable exite ment here
hooker is on the retreat and
lee is in persute the 11 [19?] and
1st armey coars are at center
vill. the road from fair fax
station to union mills and
center vill is lined with
soldiers it is almost imposible
to pass along the road on a horse
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thay come in yester day from
what was the front but it
is changed now wee are the
in tire front now there is
pikets betwene us and the
enemy but now union force
there is enough in the rear
to protect us lee is expected
to pass through here evry
hour and make his way to
harpers ferry he is expectted
to bee north from us but
we are pretty well prepaired
for him we have got trees
cut and have maid a fenc
for a grait ways around
we have been expecting him
every night now for a
week but he hasent maid
his acquaintance yet the
other might thay doubled the
[page 3]
picket gard and gave the
centanals orders to chalange
only once and fire there
was a stur in camp the pick
ets were firing pretty hard
some of the infentry turned
out to see what the matter
was thay had put about fifty
bullets in to there one mail
carryers horse he by some
menes got thrown of and
the horse went running
around the pickets dident get
the counter sign from him
the pay master came here yesterday
and paid us two months pay
the commishener dident come
yet I shall try and send
the money home as soon as
posable if there is no chanc
I think I had better let the
[page 4]
captain ceepe it for me and
when I get a chanc to send
it home I will do so
it may be that I shall get
a pass to go to alaxandria if
I can I shall send it by mail
the pay master stoped here
last might thay detailed
a gard to gard the green
backs I was one of them
the captain expected a raid
last night and the rebs
like to get hold of a man
that pais off the armey.
the boys begin to bee dry
thay want to see lee along here
thay want to treat him
to beer you will right soon
if you please my love to sis
and all the rest Yours
as ever John P Campbell