Head Quarters army of the Potomac

Camp Near fredricks Burg virginia

December the 23^th 1862

 

                                                                                                                        Dear Brother

I now take the pleasure of riteing these few lines to you in hopeing to find you and family in good helth as the parting of this leaves me at presant thanks be to god for his kind mercy to us all Dear Brother you will find 20 Dollars enclosed in this letter from me edward Freele. You must excuse me for not riteing to you before now but the way that army is mooving since I rote to you before it is verry hard to get a moment to spare of duty

 

the army of the Potomac had a heavy engagement on the 13^th of this mounth in witch there / there was many killed and wounded But thanks be to god I am safe and so is all our Regiment as we ware not engaged in it it was the grates slauter that ever was witnessed by the eyes of man and it seemes it was fought to please the abolishants of the north so that they would have something to put in there papers if McClelen was heare sutch a slauter would never have taken place for he was a man that never would slauter his men to sadisfy any person

 

But it semes that they can not kill enough of men with the pouder and ball they ar freeseing them to death in a small calico tent /

 

John Carr was kill on Sunday the 14^th of September 1862 at the Battle of Cromton Gap in Maryland

 

            You be pleased to see Thomas hagerty and tell him there is 3 mounths pay coming to John Carr heare and let him try to get it as no other person can claime it but him as he has got John Carrs letters to show it was to him he sent his money and let him get it and send it home to his brother.

 

We will moove from heare as the Regt is under orders to be ready at any moment it is call on

 

I will come to close untill the next time No more at presant /

 

Give my best respects

to Daniel McGee and

Family and to all

inquireing frends

 

                                    From your affectionate

                                    Brother Edward

                                    Freele to Neale

                                    Freele and Family

                                    Direct edward freele

                                    Co D 96^th Regt Pa vols

                                    2 Brigade Franklins

                                    Divison

                                                Washington D C

rite sone

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