Camp near gaines mills va: june 9th [1]
Dear sister
I received your welcome
letters some time ago. but could
not get a moment of spare
time to ansewer it. I have
been busy day and night . except
what little time is required for
sleep which is about four
hours out of 24. but work
consists mostly of working in
front of the rebel trenches
every night as soon as it is
dark enough . we have to
crawl out to the rebel rifle
pits so close we can hear them
wisper. and work until
daylight begins to show itself
since the siege commenced
the army has lived
altogether under ground
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of our previous movements
you see more of in the papers
than I can tell you
the regiment has suffered
sevearly in killed or wounded
there are about 70 or so men
left out of 420 that left camp
Wm Lord and Ed Fenstermacher
are killed. Capt. Ed Severn
has an arm blown off also
Adjatent Hannum.
Wm. Corby is also killed.
major gillmour of the 48 has
a leg blown off. Sixty thousand
will not cover the looses of
the army some of the regiments
have been entirely cut to pieces
I was out the other day with
a flag of truce to bury the dead
and get the wounded who were
between the lines some of
the wounded had lain five
days without water. I will
[page 3]
not sicken you with a
recitle of it. the rebels
said there were as tired of
the war as we are but are
willing to fight it out
we have been reinforced
by the 9th. 10th and 18th
army corps and iff Richmond
does not go up this time we
might as well knock off
and call it a draw game
I see William almost every
day he is well and sends
his love to all. I will have
to close now but shall write
again in a few days hoping
to hear of you soon I will
bid you all good bye for the
present . when you write
send me a few stamps
give my love to all no more
at present from your Brother
Edward