1861 June 30 Washington [D. C.]

Dear woman with thank
fulness to Almity God
for the protection of my
life up to the preasent
for the first time have
an oportunaty to write you a few
lines, last monday eavning i arivde
at Camp Morgan and found that
the 28 Rigement was gone 4 hours
sat what to do i did not know, but
i fond the 16 Rigement of N.Y. St
Volonteers in the Camp & under Marching
orders for the neght day & i liked
Colonel Davis wall so i listed in their
Rigement & is well Satisfide the are
larger and hartyer set of man than
i have yet seen in Rigement,
thurs day afternoon we broc [broke?] Camp
to march threw Albany 4 mails to
the Steamboat to take us to New York

[page 2]
We landed at New York Wenesday
at 10 oClock & paraded threw the City arived
at pear [pier?] No. 2 to tace Steamboat for

[inserted above this line]
if you git New York tribune daeley of the 27 of June you [?] see

Elizabeth town than by Cars to Washington
but wee wer delayed untill the negst
day night 10 o Clock when wee started
for Elizabeth town from there via Harris-
bourg & Baltamore ariving at Washington
Saturday the 29 where we now are
i and all of us are vere tired having
not slept sinse wee started on the Cars
& last knite & now i am on garde but
expect to bee realevede soon, for I have
to Write on my blancet on the grond
for a tabel whith is not very good
writing. but convenince is nothing to dute.
and now my dear Woman lat toruble
overcom you trust God for your Strangth
and pray for me that he in his great
wold lat me come bac to you once
more for i Should like to see all
once more and then i am satisfied
to die, Henry Linbough will

[page 3]
see to you and help you untill
i can send you some money, for so
far i have not seen any necssary use
for money excpting for tobaco & writing
matearial & Stamps, & Should i soone
be cald on to face the eneme Whith i dont
think probable yet for a copple of weeks
but shuold the order come for Marching
i gladly go to the field to protact the
contry and my famly for I am more
impreast with the Justes [justice?] of the cuose [cause?]sense
i come here, and should i fall the U.S.
Goverment will provide for you well,
i have not as yet bin outside the
Camp and have kno deesire excepting to
go to Chur Meating and probable shall
if it dont rians to hard, i think i
shall have time to see the Capitol
i have bin in as good healt ever seens
i started and if it continues as it has
i Shall bee verey thankfull an com bac
inproved in healt and strenght

[page 4]
I must close for the Reavelle is beating
tell the Children all to be duetiful
and obedient to you for mee,
kiss them all for mee little
Robert, Henry, & George,
tell Hiram to doe the best hee
can, if hee cant make the
hieast wadges not to despare
Write to mee as soon you git this
My best respect to all my friends
from yours Affectionate
Husbund
Francis A. Englehart
Write to
Francis A. Englehart
Washington D.C.
in care of Capt. Gibson
16 Regiment N Y Volunteers

Colonel Thomas Davies, 16th New York

Warren Gibson, Captain of Company H., was blinded in the battle of Gaines Mill, 1862, by a bullet that struck through his face horizontally. He survived.

This letter was purchased for the University of Virginia Library by the late Professor Atcheson L. Hench, who studied the development of the English language and was fascinated by Englehart's phonetic spelling.

MSS 8474-u