Camp near Petersburg Va

Aug 1^st 1864.

 

            Dear Father

                                    I now take my pen in hand for the purpouse of writeing a line or too to you in answer to youres (witch bore the date of the 28^th of last month) witch was duely received and mutch appreciated by me and also the card that was in it. I rote a letter to alice yesterday and one to Geo. W. Covert. so I dont know that I can write any news mutch or not untill I try. so I suppose that if we never try we never would accomplish any thing. it is so with the United States or the Northern States. if they do not unite and as one main body and try to whip out this stain that is upon them our banners it will not be done so soon. so then let us all try and we can undoubtedly do some thing either in uniteing or bringing the rebs to turms on some conditiones. things look very dark on their side I think. but wen they fall it will be almost as sudent as an earthquake. witch will I hope be before 1865. I think two or three more large battles will nearly / finish them but I cant say. but we must hope all for the best and do all in our power to surpress them, witch I believe will be done if it takes three more or six years to do it in. you have or will hear (before this reaches you) of our raid across the James river. I gess for to draw a part of the force a way from petersburg witch it did. and then our men was to blow up afort of the enemys and then charge on their works witch was done on Saturday morning (the 30^th july) at half past four oclock. the colord troops made the charge, and it is said that it was as spendid a charge as ever was made during the war. (but I did not see it so I cant say how it was) they carried three line of works in the charge. (or two lines of rifel pitts and the fort.) the Officers of the negroes was most all shot in the action and after they had carried the works they thought that their work was done and not haveing officers to tell them and give orders. the rebs rallied and charged back on them in three or four diferant lines one after another, and drove the negroes back to our old line a gain were they remained but our pickets is out quite a ways farther / advanced as the rebs did not care to come up to the fort that was blown up, so it now lays betwene the picket lines. it is now nutrial ground. we (our 3^rd Division) was in the front line of works to the right of the fort that was raised I think near in front of Petersburg. we was under heavey shelling all day. our reg^t lost two. One lieutenant wounded and died soon after and one Private was wounded. those is all that I have heard of in the reg^t, none from our Company. it is sill still rumored that we are a going to move as yesterday but no foundation as I can hear. it is also reported that the pay master is here in the Brigade paying of some of the troops. I am unable to say how true this is, but I presume that we will get paid soon. the march that we had to and from deep bottom (were we crost the James river) was a very hard and fatigueing march, and mostely done in the night. but it was cooler then than in day time but the we was kept up three or fore nights and not any rest of mutch account in the day time made it rather roughf on us for a while but we have to or do make the best of every thing and let it come as it will and do the best that we can. /

 

I think that I am scribbeing over a goodeal of paper, but as I said in the fore part of this I dont know wether I am a writeing any news or not. but the best news that I can write now is that I am in the best of health, witch through a kind providence, I hope will find you all enjoying the same blessing. you say that you are counting days. it is not many I know, but we can not tell what may turn up betwene this and that time, either here or in your neighborhood. I will not say mutch more untill further orders, or rather untill I hear from some of you again. tell Alice that I want her to answer that letter that I sent her yesterday as soon as it is received if she has not done so before this reaches you. there is nothing more now that I can think of at presant to write. I am thankful to oliver for that card.

 

I will close still hopeing to hear from you soon again.

 

                        From Your Affectionate Son

                                                Wilson Sproul

N. B.                                        Co. D. 40^th Reg^t. N.Y.V.

My love to                                          3^rd Division 2^nd Corps

You all.                                               Washington D.C.

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