Middleton MdJuly 5th 1863My dear Wife.

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I wrote you yesterday at Frederick Junction. about 5 P.M. just on the eve of a march, we march-ed till 10 oclock, and went into camp in a most beautiful shower and we layed in the open air all night, and here I am writing in open air in one of the most beau-tiful balleys I ever saw. 13 miles from Harpers Ferry, at what is called South pass,It is now the only place the Rebs can get to the Potomac to cross into Va and as they [        ] to get to this pass we are here to cut them off, and it would be nothing strange if we had a blood fight before night, as the rebs are passing this way as fast as they can. A company of our Cavelry scouts yesterday captured 17'Rebs killed two wounded one, destroyed two pontoon bridges, that the Rebs [   ] calculating to cross over on, and 4 large wagons of valuable goods (mostly silk

that they had slow and were just crossing the river with them. We have got the devils in a bad trap as the Potomac is 20 high than there is no place they can ford it. The [      ] about desertion is all bosk Chase did desert but he came back again and is now doing duty. He is too simple to notion any thing of the kind in him. We have not lost 6 men by desertion since we came out. Tell Sitchfield that his son is all night and a good boy.

I am highly pleased with the house and hope I may be able soon to enjoy its com-forts with you. As the chances of danger in-crease my thoughts of home and the loved ones there make me feel more keenly my absence from them, and I hope that I may pass through safely, but my [    ] not my family shall ever be disground by any cowardly shrinking from duty. The boom of the first gun has just reached our ears, will write again at the first opportunity.

Give my love to the children and accept a devoted Husbands for yourself. Do not feel weary if you do not hear from regular as we are so situated that it is often difficult to get them mailed.

Your EverJ.C. Rutherford

We expect to march every minute

Did you get the $20 I sent you?

This is all the paper I could get hold of, as my baggage is in Frederick City