Camp near Carlisle. Cumberland Co. Pa.

Monday.            June 29^th, 1863.

 

Dear father,                                                                 

                        I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, to let you know that I am well and hearty at this time. I hope these few lines will find you all well, when they reach you. The last time that I wrote to you all, I was in Maryland, but now I am writing in Cumberland Co Pennsylvania. We are about four miles from Carlisle town. We are twenty two miles from Harrisburg, which is the capital of this state. If we go to Harrisburg we will have to cross the Suskquehanna river, before we can get there. The river is said to be one mile and quarter wide. I do not know whether we will cross the river or not. We have had know fight with the yankys since we crossed the Potomic.

 

It is reported that there is some malitia at Harrisburg fortifying. I do not think they will do much. Nerely all the malitia were called out in this state when they heard that we was a coming. I would like to know whether Rebecca got that letter where I wrote to her, when I was at Sharpsburg (Md.) We left Sharpsburg the next day after I wrote that letter to Rebecca. We taken the Hagerstown road when we left Sharpsburg. We marched through Hagerstown (Md.) Hagerstown is a large town, and nice place you may depend.

 

you can now turn over 

 

The ladies in Hagerstown wavered their hankerchiefs when we passed through. They also had secesh flags hanging out as we past along. The next town that we passed through was Middleburg, which was on the lines between Pennsylvania & Maryland. Middleburg is a verry small town, it is not laid down on the map. The next town that we passed through was Greencastle, which is a right pretty little place. here at this town the women looks very mad and sour, they are the black dutch I believe. This state is a rank abolition state

 

The next town that we passed throug was Chambersburg, which is a larg town, and you can find it laid down in the map, in Franklin Co. The next town that we passed throug was a little town called Green villiage. The next town was Shippensburg, right on the lines between Franklin Co. and Cumberland Co. which is a right smart town. The ladies in these towns looks very mad & sour you may depend.

 

The next town that after Shippensburg is Carlisle. Carlisle is the county seat of Cumberland Co. Pennsylvania is a fine level country as far as I have passed through. There is some very good land through this valley. The people have small farms through here, but what they tend they tend good. The people are mostly dutch through this country, and the people are very ugly here / Wheat crops are very good indeed through this country. The wheat crops in Maryland are very good, and have got lots of it out. Corn crops looks tolerably well in Pennsylvania.

 

The people in Pennsylvania have large barns and are generally finer than the houses. The barns are painted, and built nerely like Uncle Daniel Hits. I am getting right fur from home now, but I would rather be on this side of home than on the other side of home. I hope the yankys will never get to Page any more. I expect our generals intend to go to Baltimore now if we can. Our men are pressing on the yankys at every point. Old General Lee knows what he is about. Some of the people here dont believe that Gen. Jackson is dead. They think this is one of his raids Old Jackson was a good general, but we still have good generals to lead our men forward. Our men are not treating the citizens here as bad as the yankys treaty you all, by right smart. We have burnt some little fencing. We are taking their horses and some of their waggons. We also take corn and, flour, and shugar, and molasses. We are sending lots of flour back to Virginia. We draw right smart shugar, and molasses now. We also draw some whisky, one man gets one gill. We get plenty to eat now. I have had several messes of cherries this season. There is lots of cherries through this country. There will also be lots of apples here this year. / There will be lots of fruit of every description This is a fruit full country. The people here dont care about our money. they give our boys milk, butter, and bread for nothing, what little they do give us. The citizens say we are doing very well since we have been in here. They thought we would do them heap worse than what we are doing, as the yankys done us so bad. They thought we would burn up every town that we passed through, but they find it is not so bad as they thought it would be. I have not received any letter from home since John W Rosenberger come back

 

I want you to write oftener than that. I sent that letter home by John Mauck, where I wrote to Rebecca, when I was at Sharpsburg (Md). I want you to write as soon as this comes to hand for I would like to here from home again. Direct your letters to Winchester Va. Co H. 33^rd regt Va. Vol Stonewall Brigade Jhonson Division. A.N.Va.

 

I will have to draw clothing here when I want any thing for it is to fur to send it from home I believe I have give you all the newes of importance, so I will come to a close for this time

 

I remain as ever your true son,

Ambrose M. Hite

 

Write soon as you can            

            if you please

                      

The mail follows us where ever we go.

 

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This was written before the battle of Gettysburg

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