On the field June 24^th            

Near Petersburg

 

Laura, yours mailed on the 27^th came to hand this evening. I was so glad to have a letter from you, and also, delighted to know that you are well. I cannot say that I am well, I have a gathering in my face which has caused me many restless hours. it pains me so that I can scarcely write. I hope it may soon gather and break.

 

I cannot do justice in my reply to your lengthy letter but the circumstances I am placed in will I know be sufficient excuse. Still I am to grateful to you for the pains you have taken to give me so good history from old Sunbury 

 

Sargt. Wireman is a member of our Baty, and a gentleman please tell me, how you learned his name. I will send his photograph as soon as he gets some. I seen Brother Silas to day he is well. Persing is doing well and is in hospital at Baltimore M^d Campbell is well.

 

this has been the hottest day I ever passed it seems as though the sun would melt us. we lay in the open field, the water is so poor and scarce that many poor men fall exhausted by the way side and die. I started one day this week to hunt some good water I rode about two miles and found quite a good spring in a dense thicket & thanked the lord, for my good luck. you should have / seen me drink. you would not believe that we must drink water that a brute would not look at at home the poor animals die for want of water. I never seen such a time. the drought was never known by the oldest inhabitants to be so severe nothing can grow had it a chance. you requested me to tell you how I done for sleeping and eating. I sleep on the ground where we stop and often dream sweetly of being in some costly mansion or with a friend enjoying all the luxuries of life, and awake to find myself covered with dew or wet with rain, tired and sore. As for rations I will not complain I know there must be thousands of families at home who have much less / and live in a land of plenty. I have had a good supper it consisted of a good cup of coffee and a hard tack. you cannot imagine how a good cup of coffee refreshes one you know I am a lover of it after being all day in the hot sun.

 

I must tell you we had quite a fight this morning we was cooking breakfast and the Rebs opened fire on us. they upset our breakfast our tents was torn to pieces, indeed a regular tear up, but we got to work and soon silenced them with but little loss. one man killed and three wounded. fighting seems to be the order of the day and a common thing a mans life is nothing here. the prospects is not bright. I fear all is lost I shudder to utter these solemn truths

 

            Laura be of good cheer, I know in due time I will return and I hope to meet you with the same welcome as when I left you I know it will be in pleasant times for me. I must endure much, still I will not murmur and try to pass my time as joyful as possible but to do this requires a stout heart. the time  [faded] is long but we should not tell our friends the true state of things. I think a soldier should not tell how he suffers. it causes friends to spend many restless hours which they would not otherwise do.

 

                        I am yours devotedly

                                    WHThurston

                                    Baty F. 2 Corps

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