Camp of 12th. Vt. V. M.Near Adam's Town, Md.On the road to HagarstownJune 28th. 1863Sunday 9 o'clk P. M.My Dear Wife:

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I mailed a letter to you this morning at Poolesville where we camped last night, but fearing that you may not get it I write again tonight -

We are now encamped not far from Point of Rocks on the Potomac. We have crossed the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. & are on the road that passes thro' Middletown to Hagarstown. We shall go a little West of Frederick. This is the end of our fourth day's march and the men are suffering terribly from sore feet & exhaustion -

We left Wolf Run Shoals last Thursday & marched to a mile beyond Centreville, where we went into camp late at night in the rain. We left there at 8 o'clk in the morning and marched to Hernden Station on the Loudon & Hampshire R. R. in Va. where we went into camp at 8-1/2 o'clk P. M. The next morning - Saturday - we left camp at 5 & crossing at Edward's Ferry, camped

near Poolesville at 8-1/2 o'clk P. M. This morning we did not leave camp till eight o'clk but have marched very hard since then. Our boys feel pretty well used up. Folks at home dont know anything about marching. The men must keep up no matter what they suffer, unless they ahve a certificate from the surgeon that they are unable to march & then they are taken into the ambulance. If they fall out without such a certificate, the provost guard, who march in the rear, arrests them & they are punished as stragglers. So you see that many weary, footsore boys have to keep up when they feel as tho' they could hardly move one foot before another. If a man is really sick, footsore, or exhausted, he is taken into the ambulance. Knapsacks have disgorged their contents rapidly today. As the boys dropped out for a moment to see what they could spare best from the necessaries in their knapsacks, some one would cry out "Another Sunday Morning Inspection". You know that soldiers laugh at every thing.

Yesterday when we were waiting at the Pontoon train, an officer's horse got loose & kicked the pack off his back trampling on it & kicking up a muss generally. The whole brigade laughed as the discomfited captain

picked up his traps. Today Capt. Lonegan's horse got bemired in crossing the Monocacy & the captain in dismounting got completely covered with mud. Of course he was the laughing stock of the whole brigade as he lay floundering & attempting to get out. The horse was finally got out alive. Those who have horses all take turns with those who need rest. I have walked half the way & somebody has ridden. So with all the officers. A great many of the men have picked up stray horses & they are loaded with sick boys & knapsacks. So that a good many are helped along.

The men now cook for themselves. Each men makes his coffee in his cup & cooks his pork. Tonight some cattle have been buchered & we shall have fresh beef tomorrow. Tonight we had something to eat in our mess as the Chaplain rode out to a house & got some provisions. We put our tent up & got settled in it in less than fifteen minutes after the teams reached here.

I should like to have had you with us to see the march, still I am glad you are not here. Do you remember hearing that a Mrs. Capt. Williams came into the camp of the 13th. about the time they went down to Occoquan? Well, she came with

the Regt. all the way from Occoquan to the place where we crossed the R. R. at Adam's town, two miles back of here. She must have had a hard time for she has ridden about seventy miles in four days. She had a rubber poncho over her clothing during the rain & must have kept quite comfortable. She kept with the Regt. because she could not get a Washington. - Everything is deserted at Wolf Run Shoals, Union Mills, Fairfax Ct. House, Fairfax Station & Centreville. The rebs are said to have crossed at Seneca yesterday with cavalry - A small force - - As we were passing a house today several ladies were out to see the troops & I thought I saw one who looked natural & upon looking again I saw that it was Mrs. Damon. Her husband has gone to Harper's Ferry & she is going home soon.

You must excuse me from writing more tonight as I am very tired.

We dont expect a fight at present, still there will be one before long. We may be in it but I hardly expect we shall. The boys will not stay any over their time, I think. They are having too hard a time. I think of you often but I have but little time to think of any thing except my business -

Yours affectionatelyRos