Camp AdvanceSept 11, /61My darling wife

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Yesterday morn. at 1 o’clock I went out in command of a detachment of 150 men, a co. of cavalry & a piece of artillery & with another detachment of 200 infantry, surrounded Lewinsville to capture a force of cavalry, but found only a small co. of picket guard but we shot some and took the rest prisoners, lost none. To day we went out to the same place in force to support a co of surveyors & just as

we started back, were attacked by a battery with shell, our line was exposed to their fire about an hour , & we lost a few men only one was killed fr our reg’t was killed outright, but several wounded, some mortally. Our reg’t was most exposed, but did not budge an inch. no men ever stood better. finally we took position in a field & our artillery stove the rebel pieces all up & they put for the woods: we then took another position & waited for them but they did not choose to appear & towards night we came into camp, myself safe & sound. It was my

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first experience in dancing at the music of shells, but I think I got through it very well. Its rather hard to keep from bowing when they came close by yr head, but I forgot no duty & kept my wing of the reg’t in good order! No man left the ranks through the whole. When we got into position one of our shell stove two of their cannon all up completely, & they did not fire again. One of the rebel shells burst in the center of the right co & hurt no one, another burst in the center of the left co. & killed one & wounded several. Some

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of them knocked the rails fr the fences on the side of the road where we passed & some threw the dirt over us. On the whole it was a pretty good lesson for us. Our campaign will probably be pretty active now till winter. hope it will carry us to Charlestown Cant stop to write more, Thought you might hear of our brush & I would let you know I am all right yet-

In haste yr devoted husbandW. G. Veazey

Our scouts report the enemy were heavily supported. They have a very large force within a few miles of this place where we went-