June the 3rd 1862
Petersburg Dinwiddie County Virginia
Dear Brother I take the present opportu
nity of wiritng to yo to let you know
that I am well at this time and hope
this may find you all enjoying the same
state of health I will inform you that
we left Goldsboro day before yesterday at about
half past 5 oclock P.M. and landed in Petersburg yesterday
at twelve oclock we had to wait two hours at
stony creek for four trains to pass one of them
had about a dozen Yanke cavalry going to Salisbury NC
they were taken some where below here they
have been fighting at Richmond for two days
that I heard of the enemy was routed
so says report I heard yesterday that they were eight
miles down the Alphamattoc on which we are
stationed I heard that we were ordered on the James
but the order was countermanded and we put up
our tents last eavening but we may go to
Richmond or some where else at anny time
we are ready for the yanks at any time
our company has each forty rounds in our
cartrige boxes and plenty more in the ammunition
tent we went out to nuee river one afternoon
to try our rifles we shot thre hundred yards
night coming on we only got one round lieut
Mabry came within eight inches strait over the
target we had a pleasant trip from Goldsboro
we had a wood flat to ride on the road comes [1]
strait north there is a great deal of swampy land
I suppose we are about three hundred miles
from home Petersburg is a handsome citty
situated on the Alphamattoc river I saw the house
where the silver hill ore is smelted in
we have just been down to the river swimming
[page 2]
I was a little surprised to hear that henry
had groed so much you will have to bridle him
before long you stated that you had sold a horse
please write which one and who got him
I was sorry to hear that the boys are so
cowardly as to go to the salt works gun
shops and lead mines and old logs (please write
where the big hollow log is and a picket of
us will storm it some of these dark nights)
let me know the name of the post office
M L Headrick is at I want you to pay
Solomon Headrick $5 of my money I borrowed
it of Jefferson and he wants it paid at
home and advise me of the same I sold my
old watch for $22.50 and the other day I bought
a new one for $25 our tent is well now except
A. R. [?????] are not able for duty they were
at the hospital and came out to come with
us we left some five men at Goldsboro
we have a tolerable nice camp here and the
best water we have had since we left Davidson
I have nothing more particular to write now
I wrote aletter while I was at the hospital and have
had no answer yet I sent five stamps in that
or another one and I want to know whether you
got them or not so farewell for this time
give my best respects to all the girls
may the blessing of God attend this to you
G W Frank
write as soon as this comes to hand and give
me all the news