1862 August 9 near Harrisons Landing

Camp Fifth Maine Vols Near Harrisons Landing Va August 9th 1862
Dear Brother as I have Just finished writing to Henry I thought I would
answer yours as I am not on any detail it is awful warm out here & I have seen
so many cases of Death As I have seen since we have been to the River this
Regiment has lost six Death since the first of July being more than we have
lost being more than than we have lost[sic] at any one time since we have been
in the Army & I never see them die so fast they are no more than put in the
hosptital before you will hear of their death this Company has been luckey
since it has been on the Penisnsula only loseing two men by death in battle
Genl Slocum has been promoted from A division General to A Major Genl
& now has command of this Corps that this division belongs in which was
Franklins as Genl Franklin's health is Poor we lost A good General when
he left this Corps but the one that has command is just as good & is liked
by all under his command he is A man that if he sees An officer using A
Private hard he will talk to them & give them particular fits Father
wanted to know what kind of Many Capt Harris is I think he is A verry
good Officer gut some of the Boys are down on him on account of his tak
ing the dangerous places on Picket which in fact he does & I will say
this much for him & second Lieut Deering that is we could not have
braver Officers to lead us & I would not ask for any braver the reason
he was made Captain was for the coolness that he showed at Gains Hill
I will close this y saying I wish you would send me A few stamps in your
next say A doz From your Brother Joseph Leavitt  1st Write soon Write soon
2d Write soon Write soon

[letters of Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John in the fall of 1865 as a remembrance of his sons both of whom were mortally wounded in the war, Joseph at Spotsylvania and George at 2nd Bull Run]

MSS 66