Edwards Ferry, VA
June the 24 /63
My Dear Wife
I have just received your kind letter that was mailed the 20th. I was glad to hear from you and that you are all well. I am well but not verry fleashy. I swet a great deal espeshly when we march. It is so warm. I wrote a letter Monday but we have got orders to be readey to march at a minuets warning so I thought I would write but I dont know weather I will have a chance to send it or not. If we march I want to ceep you posted as well as I can but we cant alwais send letters. The eleventh corps come here to day. Our pickets were drove in last knight. There is all sines of a another hard battle and I suppose the twelft corps will have a ticket to go in as it is the star corps. We all wear a star on our caps. The eleventh corps wear a half moone. Some wear a square. I hope Hooker will have good success this time. His army is readey to fight whenever called on and I think he will do something in this move. I am on guard again to day at the bridge. They come with 15 prisoners this morning. They took them acrosed thense to Washington. They look so mean I would like to shoot every one of them. We have lived well since we have ben here. I went once and helped kill a hog that would weighed 250 and once we killed a two year old steere and we got milk and all the cheries we could eat. It is a verry rich country here. The man we took those things of owns 1700 ackers of land. It is very nice to. He let the rebels have 15,000 lbs of pork last fall. There was a rebel cavelry come through here a fiew days before we got here and he lent them 30 horses. He had 17 left and our men took them and all his grain. He had a great deal of it and flower to and the soldiers took his hogs and sheep and fowels. He has but one son and he is an officer in the rebel army. His slaves give us all the information we want. You sent me a lock of each one of your hair. The baby has got verry nice hair. I am glad you sent it. I will send you some of mine. It would do me more good to see you and talk with you but we musent let that run in our minds more than we can help in a time like this. I dont know when we will get our pay now as we are on the move. The 50 regt is here at the Ferry. They lay the britge. I see Bill Murfy and the Pierce boys and Lagrange boys. It seams good to see eney one from Vestal. I shal have to close as I shal soone have to go and stand my tower. Write often. I like to hear from home. I write every chance I get. Give my respects to Rast and the rest of the folks. I send my love to you. Kiss the children for me. Good buy dear Charlotte
Chas E to Charlotte E
June the 25
Dear Charlotte
I couldent send my letter this morning so I thought I would write a little more to let you know what is going on here. The eleventh AC crosed the river this forenoone and there is more troops coming all the time. I can see a string two mines(?) long now. It looks hard to see men drove to the slauterpen but it has got to be done. We lay here yet. I dont know but I think we will stay here and hold this place. I guess the battle will be fought in Yaryland. You musent wory about me if you dont get a letter every weak for I think the mail will be stoped if it haint already. I will send you a lock of my hair but it is short. We have got to wear our hair short here. I wish I could have the babys likeness but I guess he is to young yet. How I would like to see you all. I want to see the baby the worst. You sed you began to look as you use to. I am glad you feele well and the children to. I feele well but I would feele a great deal better if the war was seteld so I could go home and be free once more. I guess I will stop for this time. Write often and write all the news. I like to know what is going on up there. Good buy.
Chas to Charlotte