In the trenches in front

                                                                                                of Petersburg Va July 18^th

 

Dearest Mamie

                                    I have been waiting long and patiently for a letter from you before writing but to day came to the conclusion that the Rebs. had captured your lost letters & that as the communication was uninterupted I would delay writing no longer. I have been sick a little for about a week but am well now I had a letter from John dated the 7^th He must be enjoying himself finely. The other boys have letters saying that he puts on an immense lot of airs. Sporting shoulder Straps something he never wore here He is not popular with the boys now/

 

The war news hase been very exciting and conflicting, but now they are more settled We remain the same here without any thing important being done by either side The fighting is carried on princepaly by the Artillery We have just got a large Mortar to working which throws a 300 pound shell whenever one of those fall near the “Johneys” it must cause them to “skedadle” While I lay in camp sick I used to dream of home every night It is awful dry we have had no rain of any account. The hospitals are full of sick some four or five thousand How are the people at home now? Do they look hopefuly to the end or are they desponding? The repeal of the $300. commutation clause must make some of them/shake in their shoes How do high prices affect the people generaly? We have lost no men since I wrote you last & had but a few wounded. none in our Co. Many of the boys are sick and tired of this campaign & longing for some rest others are most cheerfull but alltogether we are pretty well “used up” Little did I or anyone else think that the war would assume its present gigantic proportions. But after thinking of the thing at times for a long while, I can arrive at no satisfactoryly conclusion and can only mentaly express the hope that the strugle will end soon. My thoughts are constantly on home and those dear to me but instead of its making me think only of the safty of my existince/I believe it has a tendency to make me more brave for the sake of those loved ones. There has been two Courts Martial of officers in our Regt. lately, two, Capts charges Drunkeness. They will probably have to leave the service dishonerably I should have rather been shot by the enemy I most awfully wish I could come home on a furlough this summer but I suppose it will be impossible, unless I should get wounded & I hope my chances for that last are slim I hope I may hear from you soon before this reaches you but please to write as often as possible & I will do the same

 

Please mention the date of some of the last of yours so that I may know if the “Johneys” have got any of them Remember me to mother Tell John I am all right Good bye I must close with kiss darling              Court.

 

You wrote some time ago that Mrs Dunham had a letter from John please write me about it

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