Dumfries

January 5^th 1863

 

Friend Bill

 

                        I will now sit down to try & converse with you through pen & paper in answer to your thrice welcom letter which came to hand the this day I am enjoying the best kind of health that I ever did in my life & I hope you are in the same fix we are now camped at Dumfries Va about 30 miles below washington our company & three others / wer out on picket guarding a battery that is planted on a hill not far from our camp we have to guard the canon to keep the rebel citizens from strikeing them which they allways do if they are not guarded our prisoners got back last night that wer taken at port republic we have got quite a company once more new recruits & all I guess we number about 50 now if the rebs pitch on to us again here we will do the best we can for them in the way of putting bullets through them I have not much news to write this time so you will have to excuse me for this time perhaps / I shall have more next time give my best respects to all & write soon no more at present from your friend & well wisher

                                                                                                                        E O Miller

 

            Direct to Co C 29

regt O V I 1^st brigade

2^d division 12^th army

corps via washington

            DC

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