Camp Near Fredericsburg Va.

May 17. 1863.

                                   

Dear Sister.

               Your last Sundays letter arrived last Friday night with much pleasure. I suppose you have heard by this time that I got out of that nasty little scrape all right and tight. I could not write any sooner than I did or I could not have sent a letter away any sooner if I had written. All day Monday we had to lay to our guns, to be ready in case of an attack. In some parts of the corps there was some tough fighting. where we were the rebels two or three times opened fire on the batteries, but they did not draw any fire except from them. Sedgwick did not want to bring on a general / engagement for fear of the consequences. Our skirmishers lay about twenty rods in front of our line of battle, the biggest part of them fast asleep. there they lay all day not so much hardly as to turn over. any one not knowing the true state of affairs would think they were dead.

 

After we left off fighting at dark we fell back from the woods a short distance not leaving the battle field however, and in two hours almost every man was fast asleep. I slept as well as I should if I had been laying on a good bed at home. we were too tired to lay awake and think over the awful scenes just witnessed in the fight the next night, Monday, we had to use our legs a trifle, but when we got to the bridge and had formed in line to meet the rebels should they try to crowd us too hard, the men all lay down and got what sleep they could, the shells / flying over us pretty thick. but I went to sleep, and slept till the bridge was finished and our turn had come to cross. After we had got to the northern bank we lay down again, but the rebels had so good a range of us here that we soon moved off further.

 

            It dont seem as though it could be possible it has been two weeks since we were across the river, but time goes fast. I was in the 1^st R.I. Cavalry a week ago Friday and saw Sam Wilcox. he was well and tough as a bear. Elton was away I have forgotten where so I did not see him. Sam said they had had hard work to do.

 

We have got settled down in our new camp and are as comfortable as any body especially soldiers could need be. The sun shines down on us pretty hot and we have to take it, no shade only our tents and its about as hot in them as it is out doors. / We sleep on corduroy beds built up from the ground about a foot. sticks about as big as a bean pole form the foundation, and on these we put spruce boughs, a pretty good bed. Uncle Jo is getting ready to try the heights again. the next time there will be some racket I guess around the city. I think Burnside's plan will be the one used. Main army cross directly in front. I was down to Falmouth twice last week and saw some of the little barkers being brought down there to be used in the next fight (one hundred pound Parrott guns.) I should hate to have one of the shells burst in my coat pocket. I should think they was getting married a little around home. there wont be anyone left will there by the time I get back. What kind of a present did E.N. make you. yours was a cent was it. was hers worth as much as yours. Give her my love when you see her again, and tell her to come and see me some fine day.                                                                                                                     

 

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I will send a quarter for some envelopes, the yellow ones you use once in a while are about right

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