Camp near Strausburg V.a
July the 23rd 1864
Dear Mit
I received your
most welcome letter yesterday
morning bearing date the 11th
also one in the evening of June
the 14th those letters did
certainly give me joy to read
them and to heare from you
all for it had ben nearly two
mounths since I heard from
you all but grieved to heare
that Grand Mother was dead
I hope that she is better off
and has gone to that happy
place whare pleasure never dies
whare sorrow never comes [?]
this morning while I atempt
to write you A letter every
thing seems to be very quiet
although wee are in A line of
battle and expecting the enemie
[page 2]
to make thare apperance
on our fromt I will tell
you that on the 20th I was
in another hard fought battle
at Winchester but I thank
God that I came our Safte
Sound and unhurt although
by bad management wee ware
repulsed and I had to run
about two miles to keep the
yankees from getting me and
that on leavel ground it
was very hot and it was
imposible to get any watter
on the way so I was completly
exausted when I Stoped
our Regt and Brigade whiped
the yankees that was in our
front and was goine to make
A charge when Genl hokes
old Brigade on our left gave
way and run that caused
us to give back so the
[page 3]
yankees got four peices
of our artilery
G. G. Stanton was wounded
and taken prisioner. also
M. W. Holmes was takend but I
do not know whether he was
wounded or not I will stop
writing about this warfare
and say something concerning
other things you state that
you had A very nice rain wee
have not had eny rain heare last
tow mounths not enouth to
lay the dust durring the time
the wheat crops are splended
but corn are drying up fro [1] the 
want of rain I will close my
letter as I wrote you all the news
on the 11th so you must write
soon and often So I close by
subscribing myself as ever your
Brother J F Coghill
Rat is well
[page 4]
P.S. As the evening is
drawing to a close I concluided to
write A few more lines in regard to
times this morning. before I closed
my letter the booming cannons was
heard in our front but this
Evening news as ben received
that our cavalry attacted the enemie
and run them through winchester
and all is very quiet
Well Mit you stated
that you had A nice pair of pants
for me you must save them and that
Shirt I wish that I was clost to the
R R so that Pappa could come and
bring me something good to eat but
instead of that I am sitting on the margin
of the Alegany Mountains I wish
I had the time to discribe it beautiful
and magnificent seans I intend giving
you the history of my march but it is
impossible to tell the horrors of it
So I will close if you see R K [???]
tell him I received A letter from him
yesterday dated the 20th of June I will
reply as soon as it is convenient so I
must stop give my love to all inquiring
friends and write soon and [????]
[????] your [????] brother
J F Coghill A E C