Camp near Harrison’s LandingJuly 5th 1862My Darling Wife.

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This is the first opportunity I have had to write to you since I wrote last, which was nearly two weeks ago. Since then I have seen hard times, but am safe so far. Thursday June 26. Jackson appeared on our right flank & made an attack, since there it has been fight, fight, almost daily. I will not attempt to tell you of the general movements of the army Our division had a fight Friday & another Saturday & another Sunday, & whipped the enemy severely each time. We were also in the greatest battle of all on Monday but our division was less engaged in the infantry part of the fight & hence lost less, but such cannonading I never saw before. We covered the retreat of the right wing & were always on the alert & watch. I have never been in command of the 3rd Vt all the time since the first battle on Friday, when I was in command of the 77th NY. & have been the last man to leave some of our positions. Col. Hyde has been away sick all the time. Major Seaver is here, could not hear from his wife for 10 or 12 days or write to her, & she was not expected to live, but he heard that she is alive. The

enemy followed & attacked us with energy every where but were always repulsed with terrible slaughter. They always came in over- whelming numbers. Beauregard & Price are both in the Richmond Army. We are now in a strong & probably invincible position It will be madness to attack such men as we have now. Yet we expect & rather hope they will come on. Nothing can equal the desperation with which the rebels tried to annihilate us. As soon as our force was repulsed they would press up another & so on for 6 & 8 times until their dead blockaded the way. The Richmond papers put their losses at 30 000. Ours of course is enormous. How any of us have gone through with it all alive is a mystery. My health is & has been excellent. I have fought for three or four days in succession & marched every night. If we could only have Pope sweep down towards Richmond with 100 000 men we should be happy. We look for something better now that Stanton is removed. He is at the foot of our misfortunes. I rec’d a letter from you today, date June 25, I will read this to Nashua as probably you are there ere this Yesterday was a dismal fourth, but we feel well to day.

Yr devoted husbandW.G.V