Fairfax Stasion March 16^th 1863

                                                                                                                                    

Dear Parents I recieved your letter day before yesterday and one from Plainfield a few days before we lost our fether bed General a week ago last night if he has the good luck to get back I think he will know enough to stay with his men he was at the Court house 4 1/2 miles from here with only a small guard except some Cavelry but they a little out of the village and did not know it they surrounded the place silenced the guard and made them tell whare the General at when they / took him and mounted him of they they went they ment to have had Col. Windham who stopt at the Court House and Commands the Cavelry but he was at Washington they took Col. Johnson of one Cavelry Regt. who was in the same house with Gen. Stoughton but he got away and came back roused the Cavelry and went in persuit of the rebs but did not catch them as they had two hours start of them I think that they would rather have taken Col. Windham than the Gen. for he is acting Bridadier General of the Cavelry / and picks up now and then a squad of rebs belonging to Stuarts Cavelry Col. Blunt of the 12^th is now in Command of the Brigade he had has moved up here and I think the rebs will not catch him asleep the 3 Regts that are here are diging riffle pits now every day and will soon have this place rathed it will be hard to tale take the 12 and 13^th are still at the Shoals, and will stay there the rebels have taken this stasion two springs and mean to have it this spring but I dont they will get it this time for their men enough in four hours march to make an army that can / whip eny thing that they can bring it was cold and cloudy yesterday and hailed some in the after noon but towards night it began thunder and hail qite faster it fell about 2 or 3 inches it stopt about 10 at night and is cold and cloudy to day a party of the sig 16^th were out on a scout night before last and took 4 rebs at bucks stasion I seen them yesterday they were a hard looking lot some of our boys say that they have seen them before in camp seling pies the 1^st of April will soon be along now it is nearly 2 months since we came here time never went of so fast with me as it has since we came here I think if we are smart enough to hold this place that we shal stay some time yet I supose that soldiers personal property cannot be taxed so if you have eny their that you think belongs to me you nead not have it prised I donot think of eny thing more from your affectionate son Edward Grannis

 

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you may think the trees have leaved out but they have not these are winter green and stand the frost

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