Camp Near Hagerstown Washington Co. MD
Sunday morning July 12th /63
Dear Wife
I again seat myself this
morning to pen you a few lines to let you
know that I am well at this time hoping
these few lines will find you all the same
I received a letter from you yesterday dated
June 30th & also one from Davis, he come
to see me in about two hours after I
got the letter he got to camp thursday he
Frank Youell & Bob Modesitt come
to see me I also received a letter ten
or twelve days ago from you, I will try
& give you a Short sketch of the battle
of Gettysburg Adams Co Pennsylvania, on
Friday the third of July, I think it was
the hardest battle we ever had. our Comp
ny had four killed & fourteen wounded, four
Mortally. that was John P Hite Wm Keyser
Wm Purdam there is only three that was so
badly wounded I guess they are dead before this time
[page 2]
John was nearly dead when we left Davis
staid with him & fell in the hands of the
Yankees but that was better than to leave
him and not know what became of him,
James Menefee Wm Jenkins Haily Maurice
John W Rosenberger was Killed, I got
Rosenbergers things our of his pocket & will
send them to his wife as soon as posible, the
worst of all was we did not get to bury
our dead the yankees held their position
all day but I do not know why they
should not when they was on top of a
mountain & well fortified, besides that
we could not get any artilery near
enough to do any good, the evening of the
seckond, Rodes & early whipped them back
& captured about five thousand prisoners,
there loss was larger than ours but what
we lossed was killed & wounded & so many
of theres was prisoners, we fell back
a short distance that night to a good
position & lay there all next day but
they would not attacked us, General Lee
said all he asked of them was to come out of there
[page 3]
breast works & he would whille them.
I dont think Less is scared very bad or
he would be in more of a hurry about
falling back, General Rennols the Yankee
General was killed in the first days fight
the Baltimore Sun says they lost several
Generals killed & wounded Longstreet
had a fight day before yesterday evening
near Boonsborough it is said he drove
them back three miles & captured
fifteen pieces of artilery, there was eleven
of our Company wounded some of them only
slightly & some of them had pretty bad
flesh wounds John Beaver & George
Wilson was wounded tolerably bad in the
thigh Wilson was left back I think
David Stomback was wounded in the arm
the other Capt Shuler was wound slightly
in the forehead, We are now laying in a line
of battle in sight of Hagerstown, the
boys are fortinng but there is no danger
of the yankees attackeding us here, there is
some little canonading going on at this
time but I dont thik there will be any thing done
[page 4]
tell Sam Miller when ever he is ready he
can Just come down with Peter & put him in
the company I shall not bother him with that
matter any longer as it is a great deal of trouble
& not much profit, you said you had some notion
of coming down with him I would like the
best kind to see you but you will find it
a hard trip particular if we would be
marching & Dave said Sam said he could not
bring you unless we was very close then
perhaps I can get home, you might send me
about ten dollars for I dont know when
we will draw & send me two shirts of some
kind. I would like to have check or calico
if you could get it but I guess you cant
if not send me too linnen ones, & I dont
know but what got to have a pair of pants
I have worn these very mutch one this
march as it has been a very hard trip
try and send me a few things to eat some
molasses if you can, I do not know how
it will be about getting those things
you want I have had no chance to get any
thing yet tell Larkin I cand send him no
hat they are very scarce & hard to get & it
seems that evry body wants them [1]