Mercer Co Va
Dear father March the 16th 1862
Dear it is with pleasure
that I take this oppertunity
of droping you afew lines
to inform you that I
well at presant with
the exception of a bo[wail?]
complaint I can inform
that Isom came hear
Last friday night
which I was glad to see him
and to hear from you all
and that you was all
well as comman
I can inform you that
I went out a scouting
the other day and we
went down too miles
below shady Springs
[page 2]
and lay in ambush
and wated untill them
yankey picket come a
long and when they came
we fired on them and
killed too of them ded
and wounded one more
fately and took one pris
ner and all so takein
one horse and killed three
and takein ther guns
and pistols thar was
eight of them I think
thar was too more wound
ed from the sign they
Left iam I perty sertain
that I shot one of them
because thar was a bulet
hole in him whar I
was drawing at him
and I was in fifteen steps
[page 3]
of him and I dont
think that I wold
miss a man that
fur. I hear our men
gaind a greait victory
in mosuria but
Bin mc Collock [1]
wounded and that
we had wone a greai
t victory at the
mouth of James riv [2]
er So I have nothing
more to rite at presant
tell Saly to rite at
Least once in too weeks
yours trooly
Ephraim Hampton
to A Hampton