Uptons Hill Va. March 17 1862

 

Dear sister

 

                                    Here is some old letters for you to take care of. if I do not ever get home I wish you would burn them & do not let eny body read one of them. I have not had a letter from you in three weeks. tell alfred that I got the letter that Carrie wrote. she told about Mothers being sick. if it was not for other folks, I should / not hear from home very often. I get the least letters from home, but then I shall not complain much as long as I hear from there by other folks. I get three letters a week from Henderson besides now & then one from home. last night I got one from Joseph Finney & he said that Nancy had the mesels I should think that you was having quite a time there in Henderson with the mesels. every body has them that wants them & I guess some do that dont a week ago yesterday, (that was Sunday) our regiment went out on picket & about two oclock in the morning the orders came to march. the pickets was all drawn in & then we started for camp / we got there about four oclock we packed our napsacks & at six oclock we started. it commenced raining just before we started & rained till noon. we went three miles beond Fairfax. after we had gone 9 or 10 miles (our whole Brigade was along) the men began to fall out of the ranks & the roads was lined with men. we marched very fast we expected to have a fight at Centerville but the Rebels left there before we got there. friday night the orders come to march back to Alexandria & then go on boats Saturday morning we started & if ever it rained it did then. we had to go through several streems about 4 miles from Alex. we came to one (befour the rain there was none there) that was pretty deep / but we went through it one man in the 30 regt. & an one in the 35 was drowned. several horses was also drowned & a good many guns lost. I went through & the water was most up to my arms the water run very swift we was all so weak & worn out so that when we got in to the water we was all most healpless it was a wonder that more did not get drownded.

 

well we got to Alexa. just dark (after a march of 23 miles) weat as we could be. I will not try to tell how I felt for I could not. about 9 oclock we got in to a house & staid their all night. in the morning we came here again we expect to go on the boats to morrow or next day. Edwin did not go with us he staid to the Hospital the report is that the Sackets Harbor regiment has just come across the river if it is so I shall see Albert if I can. we have not got our pay yet. good by for now. Chauncie

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