Camp in the field Va.

May 21^st 1864.

 

Friend Willie.

                        I received your kind welcome letter yesterday. I will now try and answer it as I havent much to do at present time. I am well in hopes this will find you the same. we made out to get a big mail yesterday. I got three letters two from home one from you. I sent a letter home this morning. this will probably go tomorrow morning if we are here. I presume we will be. we are lying here as reserve now. we have / been in front nearly all of the time. The 9^th Corps you know has all the hardest fighting to do. The 11^th Regt. was in front 4 days didnt get much sleep some fellows it was hard for them I tell you. I must tell you something about the fight we had the other day. I presume you have heard all about it before this. The 9^th Corps was in the midst of the fight. they got awfuly cut up. some new Regts. went in with 8 or 9 hundred and came out with only 80 men. The 11^th Regt. went in the hotest part. they lost about 170 men killed & wounded. Such slaughtering I never want to see again. on both sides. The Rebs made breastworks of the road. They were / piled up ten feet deep. Such horrible works I never want to see again. some of the poor fellows layed on the field three or four days. couldnt get them off on account of sharpshooters. one of our boys was trying to go to the Regt. got most to it. the sharpshooters shot at him three times. the poor fellow was hit twice. once in the neck and in the head. he died instantly. I think this fight was the greatest fight that ever was known. I do realy hope there will never be such a Battle again. our Lieut. Col. was killed instantly. The Col. was taken prisoner. the Adjt. was wounded. we havent got only three Captains in the Regt. my Capt. commands the Regt. 

 

Well Billie it seems you are getting along nicely Farming. I should really to be in Westford about this time when the trees are all in blossom. every thing looking so splendid. there is nothing I admire so much as I do the green grass & trees. I think this is the most pleasantest time to be at home May & June. the time is not far off before we will all have the privilege of going home. if we are successful here I think this cruel war will soon be over. you said you thought I must be sick when you got my letter. I never was any better in my life. you said Nelie thought so too. it isnt so. do you really think there is a chance for me in the Fletcher Family? I think I will get a furlough soon and attend to it. (Hmm) Page 1^st

 

My sheet is most full you see therefore I must bring to a missive. I have written this letter in a great hurry you can plainly see for yourself. please excuse all mistakes poor writing Love to all with a share yourself. write soon. From Friend

E. P. French

 

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Give my respecks to Nelie

 

I should like to be at that convention you told about in June. I guess I will come.

 

I havent seen Fred yet. perhaps I may soon. you said he was in the Signal Corps. I hope I will get a chance to see him.

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