1862 June 1 Mechanicsville, Va.

Mechanicsville June 1st 1862  Dear Mother I received Fathers letters of
the 15th and 22d last night so I thought you would think it kind of strange if I did not write
so I take this opportunity we have been here ever since last Tuesday & are on the very instance
right within five miles of Richmond & we are on Pickett every three days & the place that we
go to is not more than A quarter of A Mile the Picketts have exchanged words with each other yeste-
rday there was A great Fight our men drove them it was  somewhere near the Chickany
nahominy swamp, I only write these few lines Just to let you know where I am
& if we do get to A place where we can rest I will give you & all the rest of the folks an
account of my March from West point to this place  & all of the Particulars since I left Alaxandria I
am well enjoying good health tell Father that we will I think get paid off next week & if we do I will
not forget my promise give my love to all I am your Son Joseph Leavitt

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865 "because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid." Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66