Camp 49^th Redg NYSV

                                                                                                            May the 21^st 1864

G C Leland

 

                        Sir

                                    I reseve two walcom letter from you this maile from you I was verry ancious to have you know that your brother was wonded

 

As to his ware abouts I cannot informe you attall

 

As to his wondes I will try to tell you a little now aboute

 

            On the morning of the 12^th our redgment charged up to some brest works to relief the 10^th Mass volenters whe the enemy ware poren voles of musketry into our works but don but little damage after we hade relief the above mencion the enemy charge on us took our brother soldier D K Leland / prisner and wile taken him to the rear he was wonded by one of our stry balls and the enemy left him under the shoure of our balls wh ware he reseve two more balls he lay thare through the night the next morning we found the enemy hade fell back and we was serchen for our kild and wonded when we found your brother on the back of one of the first Devision men he was found by our Ordly sargent and he help him back a ways when I found him and we got him into a blanket and carried him to a strecher he was taken to the hospital from thare to Fredricksburg the last I have hurd of him

 

            I under stand that our men are evacuaten that place and he undoubtfuly has ben sent away /

 

About his wounds I think they are not but flesh wonds one is verry slite the other was a flesh wond but was deper one and it will be some time before it will get well

 

            I saw the sergan a few days ago he sade he aperanded no danger but what he would get well but he was rather stiff from layen so long before he was took care of and was more helples

 

            About our Capten and Leutennent they ware both instently kild and fell side by side what ball kild them I cannot tell they was peris by more then a hundred balls apeces

 

            Our lost in that days fite was one capten kild one Leutennent one sargent one Corpal two privets one of wich was my brothenlaw for privets four privets wonded / one Corpal and five privets misen this is only one days fiten Our lost since the compane commence is seven kild twenty four wonded and six misen the redgment lost is about to 260 kild wonded and misen

 

            Our lost is verry heavy this time we have shased us six charges on the enemy works

 

            I promes your brother I would tell you the perticular as well as my feeble talants would permit me to do about his wounds but I am sincely sorry that I cannot tell you his ware abouts hope you will soon be able to find him and get him under your care I feel deply intrested in him he was my tent mate a year ago last winter my assistent this spring and last fall in waken / Besides I feel it my deuty as a brother soldier to give you all of the I can And a chance to repay the many kindness I have reseve from you in sende artucals of comfort to him for myself.

 

            Thare cold not be a man miss so much in our ranks as your brother he was the first man referd to for council as an educated man he was always reddy to send to you for anny one of us for artucals that cannot be obtaned here

 

            About our engagements we have not hade but one since your brother left us and was refuce then

 

            Our soldiers are so fare exasted that they donot stand so well as they did at first but I supose it is the same on the part of the enemy

 

            We seem to be forty fien as the the artilry was agoing to try / hand at it now I think we are stedy progresen the most of us have grate condifence in our leder

 

            I would be glad if I was compent to give you as much instruciuns as your brother but as I am not you will pleas excus all mistakes and bad writen

 

            I sent by your brother for fifty cents worth of stamps would like to know if you have sent them to him all of his maile hase ben sent to him at Fredricksburg up to to days and I will proberbly get them some time I want if convient to send me twenty five cents worth

 

            And have a nother dozen of those Photografts taken for me not send the Photografts till I send for them

                                                                        Yours in hast

                                                                                    Joseph Stratton

                                                                                    Co G 49 Redg NYSV

                                                                                    Warrenton DC

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