1862 September 15 Harper's Ferry

[letter has been chewed by mice and is heavily damaged by mold,  making segments illegible]


      In line of Battle near
Harpers Ferry September 16, 1862
My ever Dearest Abbie
                       We are now in line
of battle in full view of the enemy
This is the 3rd day we have been here
 [fighting?] with the yankees, we have
At this time occasionaly sheling
but with out much damage
we have the yankees surrounded
they have been cannonading
all morning the firreing has ceased
and it is reported that the enemy
have surrendered we will soon
find out if they have or not
I am expecting every moment
for a shell to pass over us
Abbie I am very anxious to hear
from you the letter you sent
to me by Col. Sanders is the only one
I have received since I left town

[page 2]
we were over in Maryland and
had to march around here in Virginia
to [find?] those yankees we have had
some hard marches since we left
the Co.  Oh yes and I have had
command of the  Co. nearly all the
time since Lt  [rest of line illegible]
Sayers has been sick [rest of line illegible]
time he is now on [rest of line illegible]
service and I have command
Tom is with us again he is
full of fun please write to Pa
and let him know that Tom
is well and with the co.
I wrote to you from Fredrick Citty
I feel uneasy uneasy[sic] about you I am
very anxious to hear from you
pleas write to me soon we had to
move I must stop for a while
thank god the yankees have
surrendered unconditionally we[?]
are now in Harpers Ferry I will
not pretend [rest  of line illegible]

[page 3]
yankees there is. there force have been
variously estimated at from seven
to ten thousand. I do not know
of a single man lost on our side
in taking the place; the boys are
in fine spirits, when I commenced
this letter I expected to have a hard
battle but thank God we ve got the
yankees and evrything without much
fighting well I have nothing more
to write Abbie as soon as I can [hole]
it I will send you what little
money is due me it is not much
but what I get is yours.  I am willing
to eat raw bacon and go half naked
if I can keep you from want
that is all I want I am
wiling to put up with anything myself
I will close give my love to all at
home  pleas write to Pa immediately
good by my dearest Abbie
   J. S. Chatwell

MSS 9096-i