1862 June 22 In Camp near Gainesville

In Camp near Gainesville
Va. June 22d/62
Dear Sister
I received yours this
morning and was glad to hear you was
all well and that Mother was able to
go to Cambridge.  I am as fat and
lazy as could be expected here in
this warm climate.  There is no
musquitoes here, I have had a gay time
for the last week Monday I went on
                  or rather laid
picket and slept ^  all night on two
pine logs with the Chickahominy
running under me just got aroused
at 10 1/2 oclock, pack knapsacks
leave them and go in light marching
order started at 12 marched to
Mechanicsville arrived about
daylight, started back about
2 o clock P.M. arrived at our
camp before dark Thursday Friday
moved camp about a mile
rebels shelled the old camp
all day

[page 2]
Rebs surprised yesterday morning
to find their plan[?] stopped by
a fort which had sprung up in
a night with 8 heavy guns
mounted (on) it, staring them
in the face, kept quiet
since. We expect to lose our\Captain and there is not one in
the Company that is sorry as he is
getting to be a perfect tyrant, and
he has either got to resign or be
courtmartialed on three or four
charges carried in by men of the Col
backed by the Col. and charges brought
in by an officer of the engineer corps.
which will without a doubt dismiss
him from the service, as all can
be proved. the Co under him
has lost all pride in itself, and
wont try to do anything as we
have no encouragement, but
under our first Leiut, we shall
do well as we all like him.
Must go on guard So good by
till next time
                       Yours in haste
                        Wm Wallace

Miss Mary I. Smith
      Newton Lower Falls
                      Mass

Care of Mrs C. Smith


William Wallace Smith,  Co. B,  22nd Massachusetts Infantry


MSS 15360