9 Miles fro Lesburg Va. Oct 31^st

 

My Daling Wife

                        I wrote you last in such haste that I take the first opportunity to write again As I wrote before we are on the “sacred soil of old Virginia” As I wrote some time since we had orders to march Sunday morning Sunday morning came & with it a drizling North Easter cold & uncomfortable The order to mach was countemanded & we had nothing to do but be inspected which took about an hour an one/half during which time we stood with the cold rain pouring down upon us but we knew that such was better than to be on the march It rained all day & night. In the evening as we were sitting in our tent (which by the way we still make of rubber blankets) we discovered that we were liable to be flooded. A nice little stream of water had found its way through our tent & “something had got to be did” But as usual we were equal to the emergency we went to work & ditched our tent on the inside laid our Knapsacks over the ditch & used them as pillow during the night. As we lay there we could hear the water gurgling along under our heads whil we lay undisturbed In the morning we woke up a little damp but otherwise as well as ever/About ten oclock it cleared off and glad enough were we to see the sun Everything resumed its usual course in a short time We were asking each other what would be the emotions of our folks at home if they could look in upon us that Sunday night But I am glad you could not I would not have told you of it but to show you how tough we were I wrote you before John B. B. and myself are tougher than backwoodsmen. I have gained ten pounds since I left home Notwithstanding I have been sick several times

 

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Tuesday morning we started on the march at night we encamped in a beautifull grove about 5 miles into Virginia The enemy had (meaning the farmers about here) have to suffer John & myself do a little something in the Sutler line/by which we realise nearly enough to by all the delicacies which we have last night we had bread and milk & it was nice We go all over the country When we stop to rest on the march I expect we shall meet with an adventure some time in our rambles I am getting ahead to fast I must tell you we have left our first encampment in the grove and come on some 5 miles farther & are now within 9 miles of Lesburg & shall probably go through that place I expect we are after the rebel army which is falling back toward Richmond whether & when we shall overtake them is a question Some think we shall meet them at Front Royal others think they will get past there before we get there At that place there is a Gap through the Blue Ridge and if we meet them there they will catch it

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