Battalion of U.S. Engineer Troops,

Camp At Westminster July 3^d 1863.

 

Dear Sister

                        I have had no chance to write or I should have done so before. My last letter was written from Edwards Ferry We were there till all the army crossed and then took up the bridge that was Saturday night Sunday we marched to Poolsville from there to the Monocacy River which we had to ford. There was a long boat train with us and some of the 50^th N.Y. We had to march slow all day but at night marched very fast we got to a place called Buckeytown and rested till morning. We marched to Frederick Monday and was there till two o'clock Tuesday morning when we started again and marched through Liberty to / a little place called Beaver Dam The next morning the boat train went back and we went to Taney Town. Yesterday we came from Taneytown to this place and today we are on picket. I suppose the reason of that is because Cap^t Turnbull, our commanding officer, has charge of all the wagon trains that are parked around here. There are a great many wagons here and only a regiment of infantry that I know of besides us. We came out here this morning and will probably be relieved by another company tonight It is easy duty. I am sitting on my knapsack by a rail fence, in the woods. I had a cherry pie for my dinner so I feel first rate Yesterday I had a quart of milk for dinner Maryland is a splendid country, as different from Virginia / as you can imagine

 

There has been fighting for two days back and today, but the firing has stopped now. We hear all kinds of rumors but don't know what to believe

The fighting is some distance from us this time

 

Westminster is quite a large town it is mostly on one street so that it makes a long town but not very wide I have not received any letters from home yet but one of the papers came with some currants.

 

I do not know yet where I shall spend the 4^th. It is only 25 miles to Baltimore and we might go there tomorrow

Jerome

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