My dear Wife,

I survived here last night about 1 oclk pretty much used up with the head ache & tired from head to foot. Was on the road all the night, before stopping only long enough to feed our teams. We harnessed up & are ready to start in the morning with the troops & it is very seldom we got under weigh before from 1 to 3 & some times when our Division are in the rear it is night before we got fairly on the road then we have to travel nights. When we left Frederick last Sunday we had not made over two miles at half past five then we had to go over the mountain in darkness & such a road you never saw, rocks & steep pitches going up & down. We are driving the rebels back day by day. Sunday we had fights at three different points, the principle one was on the second range of mountains we past coming from Frederick, our forces drove them up & over the Mt, we had quite a number wounded but not a great many killed. I saw quite a number dead rebels & such a filthy looking lot I never saw. The people here say that their whole army is the most ____ looking set they ever saw. We expected a fight early this morning but it has not come off & the probabilities are that the rebels have left the positions they took yesterday a.m. We don’t have very good mail facilities new, it comes in as often as it can & goes out soon after it comes in. The last mail we had was Saturday afternoon, hope we may get one today & have an opportunity to send this.

Herbert is well as usual, saw him yesterday, he looks as tough as any man in the company. Frank has_____ arrived home & from all accounts he is much pleased at getting his discharge. There is some shelling a little way in the _____ by both sides & perhaps they may get up a fight. Old Sumner is doubtless spoiling for a fight as usual. I really think he rather fight than eat any time. I will say good bye for a short time.

Wednesday Morn, 16th (same letter)

Our train was ordered back a distance of some 3 miles yesterday as we were too near in case a fight should come off. There was some shelling opposite our forces but none of our regt injured. This morning the artillery opened in earnest & I have counted sixty reports a minute, our division had not been engaged up to few minutes ago, so a man just reported our forces have____ them from____ ______ ____ ____ ___ ___ shell on their right, left & front.

The mail man is here having been to the right & left his mail & on his way back, but will take talong for me. He is eating his breakfast now. I hope there is a letter for me. I shall write ,just as often as I can send. You must write often.