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Regiment: 2nd Wisconsin Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Falling Waters, West Virginia
Historical Figures:
Washington July the 7th, 1861
Dear father and mother i take my
pen in hand to wright you those
few lines hoping to find you in good
helth as it leaves me at present
I expect you have been thinking about
me very often because i did not wright
before but you must know that a
solders life is not like it is at
home some times we stop in one
plase a week or tow and some times
not more then a day so we keep
moveing all the time i could
tell you a great deal of nwes but i
have not got the time to
wright it now we have pased
through Ballimore i herd that it was reported back to mineral point that
we had a fuss coming throug Baltimore if any and said so it aint true
we have had
[ ? ] fighting to do yet and i dont ecpect we shal i
heard there was a fight about 25 miles from where we are now
incamped and they took 1 thousand rebels presinors out of four
thosand men the took all there arminiton tents and every thing so i think
old Jeff felt pretty bad if i am not mistaken the first wisconsin
regiment was in the battle they only tow men kiled
[ ? ] many
wounded i dont know but i guse not many i think that
old Jef is in a devilish ticklish place and one that he would like very well
to be out of you must not place much confidence in newspaper
reports now we are just crosed over on the vergina soil and
we are incampted about seven or eight miles from Washington City
we stoped in washington one day and me and bill grant took
a walk through the city and every third man we met was a niger
i could wright you a great deal about the buildings of the city but i
have not time please to wright me a letter as soon as you get this
you must be very carful how you direct the letter or els it will not
reach me tell all the news for we dont get any papers down here very
often my ankel is sore again and i cant drill tell me how
Sam and Jim is fore i think of them very often give my respects
Alexander Hefferran tell him that i am in vergina amongst
the Nigers and there many amung them that there lip’s are like to gunks of beef
Please to wright very often
Direct your leters to
Richard Chesterfield Co I
2nd Wis Vol Arlington hights
neer Washington City, D.C.
You had better let Alexander
Hefferran
Direct your letter because
he undersands more about it then
you
Your Afectnont Son
R, Chesterfield