Fredrick City Md July 6^th 1863

 

Dear Parents

                        I will now try to pen a few lines to you to inform you of our health which is tolerable good considering our many hardships which we have underwent for the past 7 days. The Captain has been troubled with a lame back and I with sore feet and quite a heavy cold. Indeed gentleman soldiering seems to have entirely played out with us for a spell

 

June 29^th we left Fredrick Junction about 8 Oclock p.m. with all our worldy goods strapped upon our backs and marched about three / fourths of a mile in the direction of this place when we were taken aboard of the cars and brought to this place. Here we got off and started on foot and marched three miles and then laid ourselves away for the night in a field of wheat

 

Started again early in the morning marched about five miles to a place called Jefferson and halted for breakfast then took up the line of march and reached Knoxville about noon after marching a mile through the rain which fell not very sparingly from thence to Harpers Ferry all the way through the rain and from there nearly to our old camping ground when / we found the troops all leaving the place so we countermarched back as far as Sandyhook and halted for the night In the morning went back upon Maryland Heights and staid a little while then went to our old camping ground and destroyed the pontoon bridge that we had at Williamsport then back again on to the Heights and remained untill night when we went and destroyed our new pontoon bridge which was brought from Baltimore last spring this was accomplished by chipping holes in the bottom of the boats letting them fill with water and taking the bridge apart and down stream she went 

 

from there we marched back to this place and encamped just outside of the town this was on the 2 of July On the 3 moved to this place in the court yard in the centre of the place where it is very pleasant in warm weather nearly all the troops from Harpers Ferry lie about one mile outside the town in the direction of South mountain

 

Saturday the 4 we were drawn up in line of battle in the street and for about one hour when we returned to camp the excitement was occasioned by five or six Rebs who rode up to the outskirts of the town fired a volley and left on double quick 4 were captured by our Cavalry. my sheet is full We received a letter from you / last saturday and were glad to hear from home again although it brought bad news If we stay here we shall get our mail regularly but we are liable to move at any moment. (on the march I threw away my dress coat my over coat all my under clothes except two shirts and one pair of drawers and threw away all my blankets but one and blessed be nothing especially on a march

 

When the Army of the Potomac moved I saw Capt Glenny and Charley Schutt and Levi Young. Young and Schutt live over by the rail road when at home Charley is a brother of that Bill Schutt / that Ella saw at Mrs Cuttings. The 64 Regt numbers only about 250 men

 

            I will close for this time hoping to hear from you soon

                                                                                               

From your Son

Charles. W

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