Allegany County VA
August the 2 ond day 1861
Camp bea [1] Dear fathers and
mothers I now take the opportunity
to inform you that I am well at
presant hopeing when these few lines
come to hand that they will find
you all in Joying the same like
blessing I can inform you that we ar in
about 22 or 3 miles of gen wise and we
expect to leav hear in too or three
days and go to wises assitance we
expect from all the inflamtion [2] that
we can git we will hav a seviere
bat tle in the cawse of two or three
weekes I can inform you the sec ond
regiment arived hear this morning
I can inform you that we ar all in good
sperits Beleaving that the gods of batles
are with us and we have a good
cause we heard that capton Hale [3] fell
Lead ing his brave company in the manas
ses batle I hav heard differnt
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acounts about the batle at manasses
gap and I would like for you to giv
me the b[e]st acount of the losses at that
batle we heard that ther was but
three of they dair devels [4] killd
I wold like to no who they was
I can inform you that we all like our
Colonel m[o]st exlent giv us the times
in old grayson I heard that thar was
a draft made in that county to the amount
of 350 to 400 I am sory to think that
they Boys are so bacward to hear
they contryes call to armes
I will hav to bring my awkward
remarks to a close I wold like for
you all to rite as often as you can
So no more at present but remain
your sone un till death
Ephraim Hampton To
Andrew Hampton and Poly Hampton
thornton Jennings and Char[i]ty
Jennings