1861 June 8 Yorktown [Virignia]

Miss Mary L. Parrish
Dear Sister--To day I seat
myself for the purpose of writing you a few lines.
I hope this will be answered, I say in the
first place, as I have writen three letters to
you since I received your only one the last
letter I wrote you I inclosed therein a large
plain ring--which if you received I want
you to keep for your Brothers sake, even unto
death--It is very doubtful whether I shall return
to you all again, the possition occupied by
our Company is a perilous one and few will
escape with life should we have a regular
battle which we have been expecting ever
since we have been here in fact we may
have to fight this evening or to-night or
tomorrow--or may be not in a month from
this time--The enimy is not more than
ten miles from us numbering from ten to

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twelve thousand, I joined Peytons Artilery
at the Baptist college in Richmond and
march from thence to this place (Yorktown)--
we have a battery upon the brink of
the York River of four large canon--the
enimies blockading vesel lies off our battery
some eight miles in plain view but beyond
the reach of our guns--I have repented over
and often joining this company and most
of the men in it would like very much
to be out of it and in some other, as for
myself I can do my country as good service
here as anywhere, but my objections to this
company are such that I can^'not' give you
in a letter as all letters are read that
goes out of our camp--I would be useless
for me to undertake to give you any idia of
a soldiers life--none knows untill they know
by experience. Our lot is hard. I had never
thought that men could live upon such a

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diet as ^'is' given us--it is one thing all the
time middling bacon and leather hoe
cakes and that allowed by scanty measure
I would not touch it if I could only get
anything else--I wish often for a piece
of Corn bread, we are always employed
rain or shine the exposure is very
great. We have in our whole camp
about 6000 soldiers. the company I am
in has about sixty, the enimy we think
will march against us I think from 12
to 15 thousand, but will not conquer even
with all this odds--
I wish you would give Miss Eliza my love
and ask her why she has not answered
those two letters I wrote since I received
one from her, tell her though Miles be
between us my heart is still where it was
when I was in her presence, and hope
she has not forgotten me a "poor soldier boy"

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Tell her to tell Billy that fair play is
a jewel, and not to take advantage of my
absence--as he was a head when I comme
=nced. I must now conclude my letter by
wishing you all joy through this veil of tears
Give to Mother an affectionate son's love
and my respects to all enquiring friends
Farewell Your affectionate bro
Joseph W. Parrish
PS
Tell Kiah and Sister Martha to write
for I ^'would' be very glad to hear from them--
it would be a source of the greatest
pleasure to me to hear from you all often
being down here entirely among strangers
and good distance freom home every
word from a relation or an old friend
would be something to cheer up my spirits.
My love to them. Direct your letters to
JW Parrish Peytons Artillery Yorktown Va--Care
of Capt Whittle. West Point Va.

MSS 10305-a