Manassas Junction Virginia

March 25/1862

 

Dear Father Sisters and brother

i received your letter on the 16^th and was glad to hear from you I have some interesting news to relate we got marching orders on the 10^th we started about 8 oclock in the morning the whole division went we stayed the first night on brimstone hill we left every thing behind except 1 blanket and 1 indiarubber blanket so i left all my paper and stamps behind me so the second days march we heard that manassas was evacuated so we stayed on some other hill i dont know the name it was a beautiful sight to see all the fires burning that night / and in the morning 2 deserters came into our lines they were taken by the 88 Regt so the 3^rd day we put for manassas but only our Brigade went there so we put up the 3^rd night this side of manassas on the 13^th we went and took possession of a house on the railroad that is our company we got there plenty of crackers and butter so I layed into them for we were verry hungry I filled my haversack and took a pound of butter so on the 4^th day we marched into manassas and camped near the hospital which the rebels burned so we got boards and made huts the rebels burned down every thing they burned the railroad station and hospital they left a great quainity of clothing behind and / flour so on the 15^th we got orders to advance further to find out where the enemy lay we went 12 miles to battels Station and drove the pickets in there was about 2000 Cavelry with us and we camped on their ground so next morning their was 2 companies sent out to have a skirmishing with them they did have one and then retreated they rest where drawn up in line of battle but they did not come out so then we turned about to camp and it rained on us for those 12 miles besides what wore we had to wade over 3 rivers up to the waist the rebels burned the bridges so we put up in a house in manasses and their was 2 good stoves and we dried our clothes it was the hardest march ever i met with yet so on Sunday morning the 16^th we had to start again and went about 1 mile out of Manassas and put up / in one of the Rebels huts they had fine winter quarters all log huts so we started again for manasses on monday 17^th and the likeness of the brigade taken by Mr Brady the artist and also of the 57 entering manassas so we got a great many tents and camped about ½ mile this side of Junction it is a verry unhealthy place water bad we have lost one of our company the first one yet he died from the effects of the march to day we got orders to advance but was countermanded there is about 50,000 troops passing us going farther south we are making cakes every day out of the flour all we have is water no salt we have plenty of frying pans the men go out shooting down sheep calfs pigs and cows but it is stoped now we expect to march to morrow the 26

 

so no more at presen but remain

your affectionate brother

John Loughran

 

            send me some stamps

            for i left mine in camp California

            direct same as before

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