Cedar Creek 3 miles from Strausburgh

June 22^d 1862            

 

Dear Sir

                        I received your kind letter of the 9^th inst and I was right glad to hear from all of my friends at the Mill and I do sincerely wish the new firm all the success they wish in their new buisness May they coin ingots of gold along with the steel. it will seem strange to me to miss you and the Major from the old mill if I should ever get back their we are going to have a great deal of hard fighting in this valley in fact I think this is to be the battleground of the campaign. They will hold us in check as long as they can before Richmond and fight us in this valley they can reinforce their armys in the Valley in a very short notice in fact they have done so in the last week since the retreat they have reinforced Jackson to the extent of 30,000 men consequently he has forced Fremont to fall back to Strausburgh and Shields and M^cDowell to Front Royal where he will make an attack I think and you must not be surprised to learn of one of the desperate fought battles of the war if he attack us we wont retreat this time until we are badly beaten I am under Gen Sigle and does not often retreat but I must stop writing about the Army I have wrote enough now to break me of my commission if it was known (you will understand) I have quite a number of trophys to send to you all but Adams Express has not come this far yet I will send them the first opportunity I wish you could mail me a Pittsburgh paper occasionally. give my respects to the Major Hugh Dana Cafton and accept the [?] for self

                                                                                                                       

Your Friend

John W Hancock, Co B [?]

           

let Mrs H[?] know that I am well                              

I wrote her last week

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