1862 August 15 Camp M[?]

                 Camp Mc[?]
                 August 15th 1862
                        Dear Kate
               I received your much
welcomed letter last week &
was glad to hear from you
My health is very good at
present & hope these fiew
lines may find you enjoying
the same blessing  We have had
annother very hard battle on
the ninth of t his month  I
suppose you have heard the
perticulars before this Brother
John was slightly wounded
in the early part of the enga
gement Charles was  hurt in
the hand with his ramrod
while loading his gun they
were both sent to the hospi
tal at Sharlottesville our

[page 2]
loss was estimated at six hun
dred killed & wounded.  The
enimies at three thousand
Our Brigade received a grate
deal of praise for its bravery
on the battle field It sertainly
did act nobly your Brother
was not very well and was ex
cused by the Sergeon & stayed
back with the waggons he did
not have the good luck of being
in the fight he has got right
well again & I hope his health
may continue to be good
for we all miss him when
he is sick or absent  We cap
tured four or five hundred pris
oners & two pieces of canon
I was glad to hear Mr Burkholder
health was improving & hope he
may soon recouver his former
strength. you refered me to a piece

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of poetry & well remember but
it has been a long time since
I wrote it & if you received
any lately it was not from
me nor have I the least idea
who gave it to you & am sorry
I did not get to see you or
Lizzie the Sunday I left it
was late when I got to Green
ville & I went down to Mr Burks
& then to Mr Newtons and
by that time [?] was
out orders just come for us
to cook two days rations
I suppose we will hafto
march to morrow General
Lee was a Gordonsville to
day. Yesterday was thanksgiving
day in our army for the mercif
ul kindness God showed towards
us in the battle of Ceder Creek
I hope the God of battles may

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still crown us with sucksess
in future engagements I would
like very much to be up in Augusta
now & go a whirtle berrying &
know if I could have a great deal
of pleasure I suppose Sam Fitc
h has been down a half dozen
times by this time Me and Sam
are not as intimate as we were
once he treated me very kindly
when I was at home he has a
smooth tongue & seems to be a real
ladies man.  Dear Kate I have
nothing to write that will interest
you I cannot write a good letter
so you must not exspect one
from me my friend O. V. sends
a note in my letter.  My respects
to all the family.  Write soon to
your warmest friend & well wisher
                           W.F.B.

William Francis Brand, of Co E, 5th Virginia Infantry (Augusta Grays) to his future wife Amanda Catherine (Kate) Armentrout

MSS 11332