Camp of 12th. Vt. Vol. M.Westminister, Md.July 3d. 1863My Dear Wife:

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A terrible battle has been going on near Gettysburg for the past three days. It is the greatest battle of the whole war. Lee has seventy five thousand men and the whole Army of the Potomac is there, besides forces from Harpers Ferry, from Penn. & Baltimore. We have a splendid Army & the reports are now all favorable. All the army supplies go from this point. This is the nearest R. R. & all the teams, thousands of them, are here. Many of the wounded & prisoners are brought here. Genl. Mead's Head Quarters are here when not in the field. Until three o'clk today our Regt. comprised nearly the whole force in the vicinity to guard this immense property. The 15th. Col. Proctor, is here now. The other three Regts. are with the Army & have taken some part in the fight tho' how much is not now known.

We have lost very heavily - especially in

officers. The rebels are fighting with desperation. Whether the fight will be renewed in the morning we dont know. The wounded are continually coming in, bringing all sorts of stories. The men on the field are all out of supplies. One train started out tonight for the front & all the supply trains may be ordered soon. Our time is out tonight, but the men will stay if needed tho' it seems a little hard to those whose time was out forty days ago as they think. I am sorry that our Regt. could not have had a hand in this great battle, but it was ordered otherwise & perhaps for the better. We have done as ordered & have done our duty thoroughly. We have not done any fighting or won any glory, yet we have done harder work. Our men have suffered more as a regt. than they would in a fight. Most of them have blistered feet & I saw one man today whose feet were purple over two thirds of the bottom from the bloods settling. We marched eight days in succession & marched twenty three & a half miles the last day - marching in all one hundred & twenty five miles. It rained every day but one - The roads were very muddy & the men's shoes gave out entirely in many instances.

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Many of the men went barefoot & some tied up their feet in strips of rags, or went in their stocking feet till their stockings dropped off. We had three ambulances to a Regt. They were full all of the time with those who were unable to get along. The officers went on foot & allowed the men to ride. The rain had wet every thing. The blankets were weighed double their usual weight. Every thing but that was absolutely necessary was thrown away. Still notwithstanding all this hardship we had but very few stragglers. In repeated instances have I seen men who could barely limp along, refuse to ride or allow any one to take their guns. "They had not been helped & they were determined to put it thro' alone."

On the march last night, the horses of two ambulances gave out & we had to leave them behind. They came up in the course of the night or this morning. The boys are now pretty well rested & have got their tents up.

Col. Blunt has sent the Adjt. up to see Genl. Stannard in regard to our going home. It is possible we may be wanted to stay here a few days to guard this train, if not we shall start for home at once & be on our way before this reaches you.

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I went down with a dispatch this P. M. to send you but there is no telegraph office here, so you will have to wait in suspense a few days longer.

I am not feeling very well today. I had an attack of cholera morbus on the march yesterday & have hardly got over it yet.

Give my love to Laura & all who enquire. I will telegraph as soon as we start so that you can meet us in Brattleboro.

I am as thin as a hatchet. This last march has worn me down terribly.

The Bradford boys have done bravely. They are sore & lame & weary but their courage is good.

I have not rec'd a letter from you since we left Union Mills. I don't expect to see another letter from you till I get home.

Think of me often if you do not write - Have good courage -

Yours most affectionatelyRoswell Farnham

P. S. I have written to Brattleboro to engage rooms at the "Brattleboro House" for you & Laura. You will go right there & tell the clerk or landlord who you are & that I engaged rooms for you & you will be well treated. Mrs. Ormsbee will be there. I will telegraph from Baltimore when we start -
Ros.