Miner's Hill Va.

April 11^th '63

 

Mr. Lyon:

                       

Dear Sir

                     Yours of 25^th March came to hand a few days ago and I proceed to answer it There is a man named Shafer in our Co. After reading your letter I handed it to him He say that Capt Lyon is greatly mistaken that he said it was believed in the Co. that Addison was living but the man he spoke of as having his leg off and being held a prisoner in the Rebel Capital was a different person John Somerville. He has since been paroled and died in Annapolis No person saw Add after he was shot except Capt Stewart and Lt Burkeman Capt Stewart said he was certain he fell dead but the Lt says he saw him after / as I told you in my other letter He says Add told him he was shot through the thigh Lt Burkeman is still living and with the Regt Capt Stewart with 24 others of our Company who have lost their lives on the battle-field have gone to the land "where the smoke of battle never rolls up its sulphurous smell"

 

I think that were Addison still living he would either have written to you or got some one to write One of our Company Robt J Brown returned a few days ago from his second captivity among the rebels He was captured at Fredericksburg He was 28 days in Richmond He says they parole them as fast as they can and that there are no prisoners held over 40 or 50 days unless they are charged with being spies or / or traitors to their Confederacy So that if Add had lived to be carried to Richmond he would long ago have been paroled I perfectly agree with you in what you term politics I think that we have as good a right to take their slaves as they have to take our horses or mules and also we have as good a right to make them fight as they have to make our horses (or any others) carry their cavalrymen We can do all this and still consider slaves the same as property If we can save the life of one white man by sacrificing the lives of two blacks I think we will be justified in doing it

 

I am very thankful to you for the postage stamps you were kind enough to send me but hereafter you need send no if you should write to me as I think half the benefit is on my side of this correspondence /

 

I think the intention is to fill our ranks with militia If this cannot be done we will be consolidated two or three Regts put in one I understand that Gen Meade has applied to the war department to have us attached to his corps as soon as filled There is no General in the Army that has the confidence of the Penn^a Reserves as Meade

 

            Hoping these few lines will find you and yours well

 

I remain as ever

Yours

George Weber

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