Camp Near Catletts Station, Va
July the 28 /63
Dear Charlotte
I once more have a fiew leisure moments and I will improve them in writing to you to let you know where I am and that I am well. I havent heard from you in so long I dont know wether you are all dead or alive. I got a letter when we were in Pleasent Vally. It was writen 5th. I have writen I think seven letters since the battle. I have writen one since we are back in Va when we were at Snickers Gap. Do you get them all. We got a mail yesterday but no letter from you. I got one from Jacob. He is well. He is now at Laurel Station three miles from the Junction. He has easy times. The 109th seam eager to get into battle. Let their regt sufer as the 137th has and they will wish themselves back on the railroad. We marched from Snickers Gap to Ashbys Gap and thense to Manassas Gap and started to go through the Gap. We went in about eight miles and the order was countermanded and we took the back track. We marched south and we are now on the Elexzandry and Warington railroad about ten miles fromWarington. We have had a long and hard campaign since we left Aquia Creek. We have marched nearly five hundred miles and fought the hardest battle of the war and built three diferent breastworks. It has ben verry warm since we left Pleasent Vally. Sunday was the warmest. We got here Sunday knight about nine oclock after marching 24 miles. It is a verry leavel country here but no water that is fit to use. We have to drink water that the horses and cattle at the north wouldent toutch and it is verry scearse at that. I cant tell how long we will stay here but I dont think there will be much fighting done for a while. We nead some rest and must have it or they will wear us all out. The most unhealthy time of the season is coming now. I am afraid there will be a good meney sick ones. We will have a full regt again. The conscripts are coming. Capt Sweet and Capt Stoddard and severl others have gone after them. John Travice has gone. I told him he must go and see you. I sent a pair of gloves by him that I picked up on the battlefield. I told him if he couldent go the the Centre he must leave them to Hindwells store. Ten months ago yesterday we left Binghamton. I hope it wont be ten months longer when the old 137th can march through the streets of Binghamton and return to our homes once more in time of peace. We are succesful every where now. The thing looks brighter than it has since the commencement of the cursed rebelion. I think when we get our drafted men and get them drilled a little and reenforcements from the southwest that the Army of Virginia will have to sufer. I think the conscripts will fight verry well. Mixing them with old soldiers it is the best thing they can do but I think they be a homesick lot of fellows for a while. We couldent fought when we first came out as we can now. When we went on the battlefield at Gettysburg we met a good meney women and children crying and wounded soldiers coming whole trains of ambulences full of them the blood running from them that were able to walk. It was a horable site. We new what we had to do but we marched in bold as lions talking and laughing just as though nothing was the matter. We couldent done it when we first came in but it is our business and the soldiers hurts are like stone. They dont care for eney thing and it is a good thing they feele so. If they dident they couldent do what we have to. I guess I wont write eney more now. I will wait and see if I wont get a letter to day. It seams to me I must get one to day. Give my respects to Rast and the rest of your folks. Tell Rast to write me a letter and write all the news. He must remember that I am in Dixey and like to get letters.
The following letter is undated but seems to fit here.
Dear Charlotte
It is now five oclock and no mail yet. I guess we wont get eney to day. I guess I will close my letter and send it. The mail goes out at six. I never wanted a letter worse than I do now. Dear Charlotte how I would like to see you and the children. I know you wory a great deal about me and have since we left Aquia Creek. I have seene some hard times but I dont care eney thing about that if I can onely come out all right and return home with you again. That is what I think of. I left you unprovided for. In case I should fall on the battle field what would you do with the little children. If you onely had plenty of money then you could get along. I think we will get our pay before long just as soone as we go in camp. I think we will get it. I hope so for I know you nead some. I suppose peopel are haying up north now. I wish I could be up there to work but we nead men here worse that the haying neads to be done. Our government is worth more than all the hay and I think it will be all safe before long. I feele more encouraged now that I ever did. Ceep up good spirits. I think it will be all right before long and then I will come home and stay with you. I know you are lonesome all alone and I am afraid you are out of rations. We have ben on three quarters rations for a fiew days. We got six hardtacks per day and a small peice of meat. I guess we will get more now. We have got to where they can get supplies to us. If you get out you must try and borrow untill I get some money. I wish I had a drink of water out of some good spring up north. It is verry warm and warm mudey water to drink. I hope we wont stay here long. It is a unhealthy place. I must close for this time. I send my love to you. Give my love to our folks. Ciss the children for me. How I would like to see the baby but I cant and so I must make the best of it. No more. Good buy dear Charlotte.
Chas Engle