May 17 th 1864
Nere Spotselvania
Court house va
not far from Fredrickesburgh
Dear friends
I will try to address a fiew
lines to you to let you know that
I am well at present hoping you
ar all the same I have not got eny
leters from home for a long time
but I hope all is well we have
had Stiring times here this
while and we have grait
reason to thank God that
we ar Spared the Battle
Comenced on the 5 of May
after a hard march on our
part it opened turrifically
and Continued with more
or less fiting till the 14th
of may we ar lying nere
our ennamey not knowing
at what time the fite
may be renuied I havent
[page 2]
to try to give you eny
puteecular details of the
fites or purformince but
I will just mention that
frum the time we Started
on this Cam pain we have
experienced Some of the hard
Ships insident to war we
have done some nite marc
hing thrue the mud that
went as hard as molling
rails and a grait meny
Couldent get a long and
had to Stop by the way
Side now I will mention
3 engagements that our
Regement was hard engaged
in first on the 5 nere mine
Run Bar Steel my mes
mate was wounded
the next hard fite we
was in was on the 8
nere Spotsilvania
[page 3]
Court house we had
marched all nite and
run in to the enymy
on a Charge in the morni
ng without rest or time
to make Coffee we losed
our 2 Sergent of our Co
and others wounded but
I nedent attempt to give
Casuallities the next
Charge was on the 13th
I think we lost hevey
uncle Wiliam Wasson
is a mong the missing
I dont know whether
he is just lost or a pris
oner or Ciled we Cant
tell the balls Came
like a hail Storm It
was only providential
that it was not worse
with us I escaped
whout without
[page 4]
a Scrach all though
I was Struck with
Somthing on the foot
that maid my foot sore
but it did not Cut thrue
my Shoe it was apt to be
a pees of Spent Shell my
boot is [???] it [???????] I [1]
was reported Slitely wounded
if you see the Report you
needent be uneasy for I am
all write a gain with
Love to all friends I
will Close hoping the
time will Come when
the Stars and Stripes
will flote peesfuly
in the breese and when
we will not need to rally
a round them all pouder
begrimed and mud
be Spatered Good by
for the present J. Hamilton