1862 October 5 Camp near mouth of Antietam Creek

                Sabbath afternoon Oct 5th/62
            Camp Mouth of Antietam Creek
Dear Father
                            I rec'd to day your letter
of Sept 29th also one from Aunty Hayes
            I know not why it is by we
receive scarcely any mail matter
here. We still remain inactive but
were called out this afternoon and from
remarks made to us by Gen Cox Who
it seems has been ordered to Western Va
there is a prospect of our being ordered
there again.  I hope not.  Should such
be the case I will try & telegraph to
you and have you meet us at Pitsburgh
You tell me to be more particular
in writing. Now hereafter should
anyone ask of their children if I have
not mentioned their names you may
assure them that they are all right as
far as I know
   When I wrote to you Sept 19th & 20th
& each time had but a few moments
to write and was obliged to confine
myself to the most important events
I wrote to Creps of Wills death ad did
one of the men attending him in Hospital

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I told you in my last of McClure[?]
being here. the day after I wrote
Aaron T[?] procured a Furlough & went
home with him.  Jim Munford is 1st
Lieut of the Company.
  We have rather rough living here our
provisions being scarce & of a poor
quality--Why it is I know not
We have no Tents but lie around
like so many pigs our clothes have
wourn out & we cant get any
  You have doubtless read ere this full
particulars of the late terrible battles
here. If you will get Leslies & Harpers
Illustrated papers about 3 numbers of
each, there are in them some illustrations
of the battle that are passably correct
in both battles (South Mountain &
Antietam) I was with the Regt most of the
time carrying the wounded it was
a terrible task and we were very
much exposed. at one time I went
in to a point from where our Reg't had
fallen back from directly in front of
the enemys fire and assisted in bringing
out the Col Hayes who was wounded
in the arm he had fallen down and when
we went to raise him he wished us to

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raise him with his face to
the enemy for said he "I would
not be shot in the back for 500
dollars" the air seemed filled with
whistling bullets. If I could talk with
you I could tell you hundreds of incidents
which came under my observation
but language would fail to
describe to you the terrible spectacle of
of[sic] a Battle field: the thickly strewn
dead lying in every conceivable attitude
the moaning shrieking wounded. tis a terrible
argument against war and I hope I may
not be called to witness many such
The day before yesterday we were reviewed
by the President & McClellan accompanied
by Sec Chase & a large escort of Officers
(Stars of lesser magnitude)
I hope the boys had their expectations
fully realized in regard to their
trotting mare
What are they working at:
What are they working at:
What field did you put i wheat?
How are is the Potato-Crop & apples?
I had a letter from Libbie Weeks
a few days since She complains
that she hears from non of you.  She would
like to hear from you. Write soon
Tell the boys to write & tell me what they

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[are] working at
Tell mother that I often think these
days whilst our food here is so
rough that I would like to take
supper with her and especially would
I like to eat a little of that fruit
We get nine here the country has
been stripped & what little remains
is strictly guarded
            Write Soon
Yours truly
                    J.D. Templeton

MSS 10317