On the advance near Richmond

June 12^th 1862

 

Dear Sister

                        I will now write a line or two but I am in a hury and cant write much. We arrived here Monday noon We are all well I am all right there is some excitement in this We are within some three or four miles of the City close by the rail road a little to the left of the Centre of the army as far out as any regt here. I never once thought we should be on the advance of Gen Mcclellans army We are in Gen Sumners Corps Gen Richardsons division Gen Megohar^s [Meagher's] brigade. We are the only regt in the brigade but what are irish he is a bully man the great irish Patriot.

 

We are so near the rebels that we can hear them talk and they fire bullets into our camp. We exchange shell with them every day the tree under which I am writing was shattered by a shell yesterday. We were on picket yesterday write as often as you can We get a mail / only once a week. You must not expect to hear from me often as we get no time to write We are up nearly all the time night and day. Mass is well represented about here the 1^st 7^th 9^th 16^th 18^th 19^th 20^th 22^d 29^th are here the 29 is called the best looking regt here Walter and Seth Mr Plinney are well the Mass 16^th just arrived I hear Gen Burnside was at Gen Mcclellans head quarters yesterday. the dead of the battle a week ago were not all burried when we arrived the woods are full of blankets &c In one hole here there are 900 dead rebels burried We were shot at a number of times yesterday while on picket

 

Direct to Fortress Monroe We expect a fight soon We are cutting down the woods on this side and the rebels on the other so that our artilery can fly uppon them better We are so near that we can hear the rebels talk. My love to all in

                                    haste

                                                From your Aft

                                                            Brother S C Wright

 

            I have not time to write more /

 

12^th 5 PM I just received your (or Lydias) letter and papers

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