| West Point Virginia Dear Dear Parents I received your letter of the 2d the day before yesterday. we are now 20 miles beyond Yorktown. we did not have a fight at Yorktown. the rebells got afraid and they left about 40 pieces of cannon behind them. they are very heavy cannon and they had very strong fortifications. I dont see what made them leave them. it seemed impossible to take them. I have seen the spot where Cornwallis delivered up his sword to Washington. the rebells attacked our advance force yesterday morning. I have not heard all the particulars but there was a great many of our men killed. I have seen six of them that was brought in dead yesterday afternoon and they are bringing them in this morning. our men captured a rebell battery. the cursed rebells are trying to kill us every way that they can. they had torpedoes buried in the ground in the fortifications that they left so when we would step on them they would explode, but our engineers were most too smart for them. they went ahead and found them and stuck up sticks alongside of them so that any body would not step on them. but there was some of our men killed by them after all. it seems very curious that the money that I had sent did not readh. I signed the roll for 10 dollars a month and by some mistake they did not stop but 10 dollars for two months. I wish you would go to the town treasurer and see if he did not get it. if not write and let me no. I have sent 10 dollars before the last letter that I wrote to you. I expect we will be on the road to Richmond tomorrow. it is about 30 miles from where we are now. I would not give much for secession about this time. the weather is very pleasent now. I have not any more to say at present only that I am in good health. give my respects to all inquiring friends. I hope the money has reached you before this time. no more at present from your son |