1862 October 30 near Bakersville, Md.

Camp near Bakersville md Oct 30/62
Dear parents,
          I was greatly disappointed by
not reciveing a letter from you the last
maile as I have not recieved one since
you wrote about fathers diging potatoes
 Samuel Duran received a few lines
from you a few days ago in which you
gave as a reason for not writing because
Samuel Ricker wrote home that I was
not with the Reg.t I cannot tell why he
should write such news as I have been
with the Regt. all the time when they have
been in camp and when on a march I have
followed them as well as I could ever
since I was released from Richmond  It
has always been my intentions to write the
truth to you concerning myself and I think
you will find I have done so   I hope in the
future you will not believe any such reports
untill you know them to be true I think
my back is getting better but it is so slow I
can hardly precieve it after Genl. Brooks
took charge of our division he had a review
of the troops under his charge  our Regt.
had to go about 2 miles and I went out
with them and it nearly used me up  I
was quite lame for two days you may
know by this that my back is very
weak but I think as I gain strength
my back will grow stronger I do not
know as I ever told you how I lamed my
back.  I got hurt by a bundles falling about
six feet and striking me on the back at the
time of the first bull run battle on the 21st
of July 1861. I did not mind it much for some
time for we were all very sore and lame after that
retreat since then when I get cold it settles in
my back and has been so lame many times I

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could hardly walk but I never compl-
ained to any one about it untill we were
on our way from Alexandria to Shipping
point on board the steamer John Brooks
I got a bad cold and my back was so lame
I could hardly moove then I told the Dr.
and was excuse from duty after the battle
at west point I tried to march but I could
not do it and carry my load and when we
got to White House Landing the Dr. left me
at the hospital one day while I was there
the pay master asked me to help carry his
trunk from the boat to the cars  I tried to
do it and got about 10 rods with it when I
steped into a hole and hurt me so that I
droped the trunk and fell myself and I was
very lame for some days  while I was at
Savage Station I attempted to lift a wounded
man and hurt me so I did not do any
thing for three days  since then I have not
tried to lift any thing that was very heavy
since I came to the Regt we have keep
mooving about so that it has kept me lame
all the time. I am now doing guard duty
at Brigade head quarters  I have to stand on
post two hours out of 24 when we moove
our duty will be to strike the officers tents
and put them on the teams and pitch them
again when we stop we have all of our
things carried and ride when we are tired  the
Adjutant Genl. says he shall keep us here
for some time there is 16 of us here and it
makes a good crew. I shall continue to write
to you as often as I can and I hope you will do
the same by me  I  have not heard from Washington
yet  if you hear from him write to me about him
                    My sheat is filled and I will close
                              From your son Hiram M. Cash

Hiram M. Cash, Co. K, 5th Maine
MSS 12916