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                           Camp New Bridge, Front of Richmond
                                                    June 25,1862

Dear Freinds One and All

                     I have at last sat down

to write a few lines home and you must all take this as if i wrote to each one seperately for we are now expereinceing the dark side of a soldiers life and dont have the chance to write even if we had the material of which i at least am about played out. We have been out here three weeks next Sunday and hardly a day pass that we are either on guard pickit or fatigue being on the reserve we have all the dirty work to do and there is enough of it. If you should see some of the batteries that grows in a night in this county you would think there had been an earthquake. We have seen a little fighting out on pickit but none of our boys has been hurt yet unless there was last night. There was an attack made on them about 12 Oclock by the rebells they fired several volleys into them but we soon got two guns to bear on them and after a few rounds they came to the conclusion that it was no company for them and they Skedadled

We were routed out and took in two days rations and got ready to march expecting a fight but none came so we laid down again in the mud. It was raining and thundering all the time and we were wet completely through. The rebells frequently try to shell us out of our camp and the way they do buz over our heads is a caution. We have got so we dont care no more for a shell than if it was a fly. The other day they threw one into the 1st Cont Camp and killed one of their men and another was struck the same day be belonged to some battery. A great many of the boys are sick we are in a swamp not the healthiest place in the world. I had to goon the sick list this morning i have got an awfull cold and i think the swamp fever. I drank about a half a pint of Whiskey and quinine and feel firstrate just now, but i am afraid it won't last long. Two of Durzeas ??? died last night one was sent home the other was buried here. This is about the healthiest regt around here as there is only two or three very sick and i guess they are out of danger.

We got paid just before we left portsmouth and when we got to white house the regt stacked arms and feeling very tired i got in an ambulance and went to sleep when i woke i found somebody had went through me and stole $19 that i had put in a letter but had no chance to sent it home and a watch i was keeping for a friend. I am quite sure somebody knew where it was and took it. I have my suspicions and if i find them out ill bet they will suffer and the Regt was gone to and i could not find out which way they had gone. So i got in the ambulance again and staid all night. The next morning i and four others that were left got on the cars and went out to Fair oaks no 10th Regt had been there. We looked all through the army but could hear nothing of it. We slept out there all night and next day we found the Regt we were over ten miles away from it. While at Fair Oaks we went on the battle field

and of all sights that was the most horrible the bodys laid in heaps all over the feild. One fence about a quarter of a mile long had them piled up behind it for the whole length. Horses Lesesh and union boys all lay together some with each a bayonett through the other and others with heads arms and legs off. It was an awfull sight one that i don't want to see but once again and that on the ground where i now am.

I must now close hopeing this will find you all well. You must tell Susie Libbie and Fred that i would write to them all if i could but i cannot tell them they must write and you must to and when i get in Richmond i will write to. Give my love to all and i remain

               Yours affectionately
                       A J Weeks

P.S. Direct to MClellans Head Quarters

              Army of the Potomac 
                         Sykes devision