1862 August 9 Harrison's Landing, Va.

Camp of the fifth Me. Regt. at Harrisons
Landing Va Aug 9th 1862

Dear parents,
              It seems almost like being at home
to me to get back to the Regt. again but I
hope the day is not far distant when I shall be
at home I do not know how they managed
to exchange the prisoners it is done the same way
it was in the war of 1812 and if you know
how that was I want you to let me know
for I cannot find out how it was done.  I have
not received any letters from you since I
sent you some money from White House I sent
17.00 and a 5.00 confederate note and I should like
to hear if you got it.  There will be 16.00 at
Portland for you before you get this letter you
can get it the same as you have done the other that
has been sent there.  I want to hear how you get
along with the back haying &c and all the news you
can think of I want to hear about the drafting
and enlisting I know you are anxious to hear
the news from here I suppose Samuel writes all
the news there is  here so I cannot write anything
new from here.  While I was a prisoner I was [treated?]
first rate in regards to treatment but our rations
were very short 1/2 a loaf of bakers bread once a
day  a very small piece of fresh beef one day and
a very little soup the next day was all we got
except what we bought I had a little money so
I got along quite well but some poor fellows died
for the want of something they could eat

[page 2]
They gave us one table spoon of salt once
a week.  I saw some of their papers they seemed
to think they got the worst of the battle before
Richmond, they stated their loss to be 5 8 000
killed wounded and missing Richmond is crowded
with sick and wounded rebels and they are dying
dieing very fast for the dert want of medical
stores which they cannot get they appear to be
collecting their whole force around Richmond
to make a desperate stand for if they loose that
place they are conquered, and will be forced to
give up the officer in charge of us at Richmond
is a union man and he told us this himself the
citizens there were very anxious to get our money
they came to us almost every day and offered $6.00 for
$5.00 of our money one man got 20.00 dollars for
a ten dollar gold piece.  I know they keep their
army on short rations for I saw some men's
rations for three days about as much as our men
got for one day.  I got a letter that Mary Jane
Gammon wrote a some time ago she said she was
going up to Raymond, if you see or hear from her
tell her I will write to her soon

[Letter of Hiram Cash of Co. K, 5th Maine will conclude on the 11th]

MSS 12916