September 20/1861

Camp Banks

Fredrick City Mariland

 

Father

Dear sir I received your last letter of the 4^th I am happy to say that I enjoy tolerably good health agane We ar now at Fredrick City we arived here on the evning of the 13^th after a forse march of twenty five miles the day being verry hot and having to carry our napsacks &c it was rather a hard march but I stood it tolerably well but we have been well payed for it You are probaly aware that the Legislator was to meet on / the seventeenth it being a secret cession or intended to be but they sliped up on it they had it in thare pour to pass a Cecession Ordiness but we broke up the cession and took the members prisoner nombering about twenty togather with a reble printer and a four horse wagon load of papers and dockuments belonging to them. the prisners ware sent to Anapolis day before yesterdy the boys that went with them got back last night They say that the volunteers ware pouring in, in the neighborhood of the Rela House. our troops are crossing over into into the sacred soil of Old Varginnia they ar crossing at the Chane bidge. 

 

Our troops hav ganed a grate victory in Missouri. You will have the particulars before you receive this. One of our men died from the affect of our march he was burried yesterday. The City of Fredrick is a very nice place and a good country surrounding it. We have not received any pay yet and no new close yet conciquently some of us are rather ragged and durty but all are feeling well at presant it is raning the boy ar all gathered into the tent and keep up such a noise that I cannot write We have pleanty to eat now fresh meat every day, potatoes every few days we also get flour and bake our own bread 

 

I wish you would send me a paper once in a while to read if it is conveniant

 

nothing more at presant

But remane your

Son John T. Gaston

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