Sept 12^th 1863

Camp of 50^th Engineers Near

Navy Yard Washington DC

 

Dear Parents

                        I now sit down to pen a few more lines to you to inform you that we are as well as usual and I hope this may find you the same. We received a letter from you and Ella this afternoon. Ma wrote that I had lost another chance of marriage this was news to me for I did not know that I had had the chance to loose and I dont think Melissa has done any thing very extra by marrying Emory Lane either though he may / make her a good husband Do you know the number of the Reg't that he is in if so tell me in your next letter. The Col. gives us all the drill that we want in these days and sometimes a little more It is dreadful dry and dusty here now and every time we come in from drill we are completely covered with dust which makes us look like old veterans. It lodges in the Captain's whiskers and makes them look gray enough I tell you Polk got a letter from his brother Bill this afternoon. They are at Skelly's Ford on the Rappahannock river near Fredericksburg. He was well and enjoying good health and all the privileges of picquet duty but I dont envy him on account / of his position or hard tack either. On the first page you will see a fine castle which is the insignia of the Engineers I paid thirty five cents a quire for this paper and thirty cents for a package of envelopes Hice and Dick are both well

 

            I will send you some cantelope seed in this letter that is what the Maryland people call them but I call them musk melon seed. They raise very nice ones around here I was on guard the other night over across the river the other and an old citizen gave me three very nice ones and these are some of the seed out of them. War news is very favorable for us just now and a good many think this / Rebellion will soon play out but as yet I cant see much signs of the end

 

            Some think old Lee will make another raid in Maryland this fall but I think he will hardly dare to venture again after so severe a flogging as he got at Gettysburg

                                                           

I will close for this time so good bye from your son                  

Charles W. Personeus

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