Camp Near Petersburg Va

July 27^th 1864

           

Dear Parents

                                    Yours of the 21^st & 22^nd inst reached us last evening and found us all in the enjoyment of good health and as I have no very urging business on hand I will scratch a few lines to you in return. You expressed a wish Mother that I might see the School Marm—well I heartily echo the wish back to you for I verily believe it would do my eyes a great deal of good to look upon a piece of merchandise once more it is so long since I have seen anything of that sort you know. It is at least a month if not more but I will make up lost time if Providence / favors me with a return to my native State after the elapse of thirteen months more and perhaps sooner for somehow or other I believe believe this war will end before that time I dont think it will last longer than till spring at the outside. Gen Sherman is having splendid success down in Georgia. He whipped Johnston in every battle and has whipped his successor Hood in the first battle after he (Hood) took the command of Johnston's demoralized forces Last evening the 2^nd Corps moved off toward the right of our lines and now look out for some startling events from from this quarter soon

 

Every day our works are being strengthened so it wont require / so it wont require so much force to hold them. Yesterday Taylors command worked at building a fort—quite new business for them I assure you. Wonder how they like to come Paddy on it. Daniel and I are lucky enough to run clear of that job this time All we do is eat drink and sleep besides a trifle of guard duty and sometimes I get very tired of doing nothing and wish for more work to do and lounging around idle is often the cause of sickness here in the Army. but a person can work to hard as well as not enough. here everything goes to excess we either work to hard or we do nothing at all. Last Monday I saw an old acquaintance that I had not seen in a / number of years It was Douglass Dean. He belongs to the old 89^th NY and his time is nearly out He says out of nine young men in that Regt from Altay he is the only surviving one He is in the 18^th Corps and has been away off down in South Carolina and tells me they had fine times down there but now they are having it pretty tough for they have to be on picket duty half the time and often short of rations but the Sanitary is doing a fine thing for the soldiers this season especially since we came down here to the James river for they provide the soldiers with a good many luxuries mostly vegetables and that is the best thing they can give us and we all appreciate the kindness of the people of the North for doing so much for her soldiery and may God bless their efforts I remain your affectionate Son untill death Cha^s W Personeus P. S. I received those stamps all right

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