Acquia Creek, Va

Aug 16^th 1862

 

Dear Sister,

Yours of the 9^th I rec'd to day and was glad to hear from you once more, and that you were all well. the 6^th Reg^t of Penn. Reserves has just left here. they came in this morning. we seen a good many men that we were acquainted with. the Bucktails will be here about to morrow. then we will see some more from Tioga County. there was a sad accident happened down on the river below here on the / night of the 13^th of this month. two steamboats run together, and sunk one with 275 men on board, about 75 of them were drowned, 3 out of our Reg^t, one out of our Company, Burton Brown, from Chatham. there was three women on board, all drowned. the Cap^t and the Officers of the boat have been sent to Washington for trial. it seems as though it was done on purpose. they saw one another, and signaled to one another, then run together. I rec'd a letter from David to day. the folks were all well. a good many had enlisted, and some had / run away from the draft. Peter Dean had offered 200 dollars for some body to go in his place. Henry Miller was in Elmira Jail for 30 days, or pay 5 dollars, and I think that would be a pretty hard job. we hear that all the boys and men are coming to war, from Delmar. then Edgar is dead is he. well he is done with his soldiering. Well, it is about supper time and I must close. write soon. direct as before. this from your brother, William Chase.

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