March 12^th 1862

Camp Dodge   

Virginia

Dear Sister All

                                                                                                                                    I now take the oportunity to inform you that we are all well and are enjoying our selves in differant ways but we are all begining to think that we will have to go home with out seeing the sight of a reble, for they have all suceeded from manassas, so we hear, now. but we dont know were they have gone, but I hope that we will go in search of them. I think that they are very near played out in running from one place to another fore we will get all the / way around them and then run them all up in a heep, and then feed them on lead pills. but I am a getting discouraged for I thought that we would have a hand in for to make them leave manassas. but insead of us haveing to go and whip them out they went out unbeknown to us. wen the news came in camp I would not beleav it but all of them us the boys in camp said it was so, and to day the papers sayes the same, so I think that as they have left there, they wont make a stand a tall enewhere, for they was fixed well in there for to fight / there, but I suppose that they knew that if we was to atact them there that we was shure to drive them out, so they thought that it was better for them to leav with out driveing them out, but I must ceas talking of the runaways, (that is the trators) or I will have no room to asswer your letter, or what you wanted me to answer in your letter. you said in your letter that you wanted us to kill all of the rebles, but they run so we cant see them, but there is of the army that does see them and are doing them justice. and you said in your letter that you wanted me to say wether your path of duty was a just one or no, / but I can tell you that it is a pleasant path to travel and it is a just cause witch you have been engaged in and you need not fear for you are on the right side with the lord. we have been holding a prayer meting here in our tent and hold a prayer meting, and ever since we have had the first prayer meting in camp casey we have enjoyed our selves better than ever before, and I will say that any one will say so if they have ever thought of crist and looked on him, and asked him to for give them he has never yet failed in so doing.

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