Camp Near White Oak Church Va

May the 28^th /63

 

Dear Brother

                        I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you hopeing that they wil find you wel I had a letter from home the 25^th. The folks are all wel but Harriet we expect to move to day some time we hav bin packed up & under arms ever sinc yester day morning redey to move If we dont go to day we wil hav to go on picket to morrow It is verey warm wether here I hate to march this warm wether Knapps boyes & the rest of your acquaintanc are wel I hav not bin wel for some time but I keep around I hav bin in the hospitle a week It is verey sickly here thare is hardly a man fit for duty in our regt we hav lost one man & hav one more in the hospitle out of our Comp 

 

Andrew Dunn is with us now he left us at bull run & came back in April he is a finished young man he think himself verey smart but I dont Ira Knapp has got to be a Corporel Willey Chamberlain is as tough as a knot & as mean as old Chamberlain can be he is just like his Father & wil make a meaner man than he ever thought of being he run away & lost four monts of his pay we are not far from whare we was last sumer this time but it dos not look mutch as it did then around here George Tremont is not far from here I hav seen him verey often James Smith is in the hospital I had a letter from him some time ago but had no chanc to answer it he was wounded here at Fredricksburg last fall we was in this last fight thare & came out safe we had 11 wounded & two killed in our regt thare our regt was in the front all the time except at Chancellorsville / We hear maney reports now dayes but dont believe onely what we see & know

 

            I am going home soon if nothing happens & I wish that I was going for good but it wil be some time yet before that day comes are you going to stay whare you are If you hav got a good place you beter & be stedy & have what you ern & shun bad company I expect to see hard times again this sumer & harder than ever

 

If I was as tough as I was when I left home I would be satisfide but I am not & never wil be again you can hear more about what is going in the army than I do so thare is no use of my sayin enything about it I am in a hurey & will hav to close this

 

Give my best respects to all our cousins & friends & except this from your Brother

 

write soon as you get this      

Abner B Palmer

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