Bivouac Near Sharpsburg

Sept 23 1862     

         

My dear wife

            Ink again—it is a luxury! for the past 24 hours I have been in command of the pickets of this division and I dont see the fun of it.

 

            Nobody seems to be doing anything since our people got driven into the Potomac the other day on the Virginia side while our regiment stood doing nothing on the Maryland side. With all this campaigning I am getting to be inexpressibly dirty and hard looking—I wouldnt speak to myself if I met myself in the street and if you could see me, you would be glad I was gone.

 

            We dont stop long enough in one place to do anything and everything even water is scarce as our army gets along—they made the Potomac filthy with washing on Sunday.

 

            I cant make any head or tail to matters in general. All sorts of stories circulate in camp, most of which are untrue. Your [?] dispatches are made & colored to suit the market.

 

            The battle of Sharpsburg was great but its results do not appear to be decisive. Wish I was home but bear it better than I did Harrisons Landing.

 

            Bless God my health is good. Love to the little ones

 

                                   

Affy Your husband

Fran^s J Parker

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