In Camp Near Richmond
the
July the 24 1862
My dear father & Mother
I received a letter
yesturday eavning from you and was truly
glad to hear from you and hear that you was all well
I also received a letter from Jane the other day which
Mr Burgan brought Mr Merrell come to
our camp yesterday eavening I was truly glad
to see him for I like to see any of our friends
he has been in Richmond several days waiting on
his son henry poor ben and henry they will kneed no
more waiting on Ben died before his father got here
Henry died in a few days afterwards: O we halfto part
with our best friends every once and while:
I wrote a letter and sent it to you by R G Souther
& Henry Cauble I am getting a long rather slowly I had just
come from the hospital a few days before the big fight commenced
I was with the regt four days while they were fighting
I had the dierear before we started and it grew worse
on me and I was oblige to four day where I
then I came back to old camp I have had the chills some since
and have not been well since: I am gettin a long tolerable well only
I am very weak yet I think I will be able for duty in a few days
Jacob is at lynchburg in the hospital I received a letter from him
the other day he said he was still mending sloly: he says he likes
that place better than Richmond: watter is better and things
are not so high up there Jacob applied for a furlough but
did not get it: I thank you for the paper you sent us but we
could by paper her I expect about as cheap as it is in buncombe
you said that Ben Fortune told you I was in the fight one day he
was mistaken I was with them four days every thing is still about
Richmond I have drawn forty dollars bounty to day I will send fifty
Dollars by Mr Merrell being it is a good chance: we will draw four months
wages and fifty dollars bounty in a few days: I will close without I could
write something more interesting write when you can W M Patton
[page 2]

My dear sister
I received a
letter from you the other day and one some time
back and was very glad to hear from you
and hear that you was well and going to school:
I am getting a long rather slow I am like an old
broken down horse I think I will mend up in a few days
There is lots of our friends and relations dying here about
Richmond B. W. P. H. C. Merrell are boath ded they
were boath wounded I regret the loss of them very
much but we halfto all go when our time comes.
Ben has been a mess mate of mine ever since last spring..
and a great many of them are sick now G. N. & J. C. Penland
are bouth sick now George has ben very low with the feaver
he is getting better now Alfred Rice & J. P. Gaston was
taken prisinors in the big fight of [????] I must
close unless I could write something more important
I want you to put up some pickels this fall and if
we are moved out any place where we can get any thing
you can send us som of them if not you can make
use of them: There is some talk of peace being made
but god only knows when & I hope how soon
I will close Write when you can nothing more at
present Good by: Your brother Wm. M. Patton