[1] Camp near Alexandria
July 6th 1862
Dear Friends
I take this oppertunity
to inform you that
I am well at this
present time and hope
when those few lines
reaches you they may find you
all enjoying the same good
health but I recieved a letter
from you some time ago but
for some cause unknown to me
I did not answer till now.
I had wrote to some of you that
John Phillip was in the Hospital
but he has again returned and
and at presemt is writing a letter
to Franklin he has got right well
again. Old Lut still sticks to it
he is allmost as good as ever he
weights now 157 pounds one pound
heaver the ever
[page 2]
give him a little rest and he is
ready to follow old Jim Shields
where ever he wants to go. Well
I have no news to send to you this
time as we are not marching we have
no news the weather is very
warm here now in fact today
it is so hot that we can hardly
stand it. We are all piled out
under the shade trees and in
the coolest places we can find
and them are not very cool
I suppose you are making hay
and harvesting up there now
for our part we are at a loss
to know when it is harvast
for there is no grain raised here
this year. I should like to be up
there to help you to harvast
if it aint as hot there as here
if it is I would rather be excused
I do not know if I could Stand
it if I was there but I would
try very hard
[page 3]
We had no such a good time
here on the fourth of July as
we had last year evry thing was
quiet here only the heavy booming
of Canon in the Forts that are close
around here. we are encamped close
to Alexandria Heights. I was up
there yesterday from there I had
a fair view of Washington city
and the Potomac River with any
amount of ships and steam Boats
going up and down I have saw
a great many things here that
I nevery saw before so far I
have not begrudged my tramp
David Thomson requsts me to
send you his best respects to you
all he is in the mess with us
he is enjoying good health now
he says he would like to see
you and have a good long talk
with you he did not like that Sam
Blake told that lie on him about
him being taken prisoner at Winchester
[page 4]
John P. says if you have
not answered that letter that
he sent you from the Hospital
yet you shall direct to the Regt
as he is here now. Well I will
have to bring my letter to close
for this time write as soon as
this comes to hand and give us
all the news give our best respcts
to all our Friends tell Martha
Hartman I would like very
well to hear from her soon
tell Amelia and Michael to answer
my last letter I would allso like
to know what has become of sister
Ann leave me know my best
respects to Mama and
tell her not to fear for us
I have done for this time beleive
us we still remian you obedient
sons George L Hartman
Direct the same George Hartman
as before mama Hartman
David Thomson J.P.C. Hartman