Waterboro       May 22

 

Dear Brother

We rec your letter & papers last Eave glad to here from you. yours finds us quite smart Mother is some better but verry lame

 

—it seams you have not hurd from Paul when you wrote

 

—my God must I say our dear Brother Collins is ded. no I wont say so but he was shot through the Bowels & Paul left him with the Enemy. I will tell you what Paul wrote Paul was in command of a Battalion Collins had charge of the Company first a shot struck Collins pistol another struck his belt hurt him some but he never left his poast, the third / struck him in the Bowels went clear through him & he fell of his Horse just then the Rebs made a charge on them & they had to fall back, they tride to get Collins & had five or six men shot & taken prisners. wal that was the last Paul saw of him. but one of the men that was taken got away he said after the Rebs charged by he saw Collins get up & go towards a farm house close by. now this is all the hope we have left that he still lives & you may judge as well as I about our chance to ever see him gain (poor Boy) I think he is gone I would send you the letter but Harret & Elizzie must see it Paul said he would write in a few days again (Joseph)

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