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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 the 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 fraid to be spared and I was. then boat fights but our little company sufered powerfuly. I have just counted thirty wounded in our company and onley [?] in forty one rank and file mr mury kiled in the erly part of ingagement and Rohart Phillips in the latter. I went and saw them boath. I staid on the 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 yours 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.