Yorktown Va June 24^th

 

Dear Ari.

                        you will see by the heading of this that we are on the move. we come to yorktown Monday and expect to march every moment so I cant write but little. I received your letter this morning and was glad to hear from you I did not intend to write just yet. if we have good luck I expect the next letter you get from me will be from Richmond Va. but I dont know how we shall come out. Gen Dix and Gen Keyes is in advance of us with a large force / General Dix is in command of the forces in this quarter. he is a sound sober minded old Veteran that is my opinion. when we crosed the Nansemond that sunday we had layed in advance of all the rest of the troops all day right under fire and at sunset the old Gen come over and says he silance that rebel battery and then fall back for says he you cant advance any farther on my responsibility and didnt we silance it Lord if you could have heard the artillery. thay fired right over our heads / it seemed to me as though it raised me from the ground every time thay would fire. well I suppose you dont want to hear so much about fighting. well it is not very pleasant work. some men say that that thay had as livs fight as not but I dont see it. I dont want you to think that I am a coward but I will leave that for the boys to say whether I am or not.

 

We are now in camped on the old Battle ground of our fore Fathers. I have seen the same spot where Lord Cornwallace surrenderd and seen the works of Gen McClellan. he done an aufull sight of diggin / I have written to Father since you went home. the officers wives stop in the tents with them. tell Elmer papa dont know when he will have a chance to send him a present for I shall spend all my mony befor I get a chance. when we march I like to live a little better so I buy things to cary in my haversack it it takes a great deal of mony to buy a little if our Regt had it as easy as some of them I should have a plenty of mony at 3 dollars a month. well I must close write as soon as you get this be shure. dont worry about me for I dont apprehend any danger. give my love to Elmer and all of the rest. good day              

S. B. Tarlton

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