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Camp July 2 62
Dear Edward
I have just received your letter
written the 27. I was more than glad to hear
from you and that every thing is write
in the neighborhood. You have written 3 letters
but I have not received but too one [Georg Gish?]
brought and this one and I beg to be excused
for not answering the first but I could not
do so any more. But you no how soulders have
to do. I am writing now in the rain on a
dirty plank but you must look over dirt and
bad ink for it is out [?]. I must
now tell you something bout my escape
in the fight. the balls and [bumes?] and [grape?]
and canister wer just as thick round me
as a snow [sqall?] you have sean come from
the north but I praid to be spared
and I was thru boat fights but our little
company sufered powerfuly. I have just counted
thirty wounded in our company and onley [carred?]
in forty one rank and file mr mury kiled
in the erly part of ingagement and Robert Phillips
in the latter. I went and saw them boath.
I staid on the field friday night and saturday night.
I was detailed to pick up armes and I went
all over the field and I never saw such a
site in all my life. the yankees are piled in
some plases and whare we [?] we [buried?] some
to keep them from smelling and put seven on
one pile and covered them up but I had no
hand in that. I was just looking on. we had
plenty time to of [buried?] them all but lots wernt
[buried?] at all. I could have gotten any thing
I wanted but I had no way to carry things
and didn't get any thin but and old ones
coat and some old letters. it sertenly beats
any thing in the way of a fight that ever has
bin or ever will be. our regment is about the sise of
our company when all together our brigade isent
as large as our regment [youse] to be. I think we
have lost 60 persent or more of our regment. it
is not worth while for me to tell hoo is
wonded for you will hear before this comes to
hand. it wod do mee good to my hart if I
could tell and explain to you what I have saw
but it is too much for tongue to to tell. I
suffered very much for water. the wonded wod ask
me for water and I gave the drop I
had an wod do that any time. the regment
is fiting yet what is left. I fell out last
sunday night and got to my camp whare the
cooks wer and the doctor [excused?] me and I
dont no when I will find it. I look for it to
come in tomorrow. I dont think the fight will last
last much longer for I think we will bring
in Mc clelen shortley and then I think we will
have a weak or tooe's rest. I am black and tuff shore
and pear as a snake. my mus tash is groing fine 1/2 inch long.