1862 June 21 camp near Richmond, Va.

                                         
[The following  one page letter  is very  faded with some words illegible].

                         21 June 1862
Dear Father
               We had by [?] Sunday
a terrible battle. I am
well. Our company had
one killed, 8 or 10 wounded.
Our escape was a mir-
acle. But for [--]
Forbish McGruber [?] we
had yesterday annihilated
a large portion of the
yankee army. I have
an unexpected oppor-
tuniy to write which
does not allow time to
write more – the carrier
I mean will not wait.
We occupied last night
in Battle field, and the enemy of
course disappeared during
the night. My fondest love
to all. Ever dearest
father yr. affectionate son
W. H. Perry            W. H. Perry Jr.
I merely write to tell you
our uneasiness. I do
wish you would not
be so about me [--]
before yesterday the Long-
street whipped the Yankees
badly; I mean a portion of
them. My very best love to
self and all. We, our army, are
within a few miles of James
river. The rain today is bad
on those who are moving. We,
I mean my company, is lying still
so far to day.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

William H. Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, of the Richmond Howitzers; after the war a Virginia lawyer


MSS 7786-d