In Camp Near Gettysburg Penn

July 1

st

 1863

My Dearest Mother

     Today has been unusually hot, so sweltering in matter of fact that 

many of our men have fallen through the heat, today our pickets 

encountered enemy cavalry in the town of Gettysburg, I have learned this 

through stragglers that had been passing our Brigade since the firing 

started, there has been a stif f fight for a ridge which I of course have 

not perceived, you may be in no disquiet about my safety as we were not 

engaged this day, and while I feel some relief to that ef fect I do feel 

chastened to have missed the fight.

The latest reports; so says the sergeant, is that we have driven them, 

but he was subdued when we asked, so unlike him.

I have already written about my experiences of camp life and the 

continuance of the same, I know may bore you, but having never been one 

for tobacco, the chewing or the smoking I find that there is very little 

for me to do when we collapse in exhaustion to the ground after a 

march, I am relegated to staring morosely into the fire whittling on any 

sizable stick I can find to support it, to no artistic avail though I 

assure you, as I simply scalp the skin from them and toss them away, I 

did a few nights ago try to fashion a sculpture of a man, but having cut 

of f the part that was meant to be his head I threw it away, I ponder 

trying again, maybe chess pieces, or checker markers, but with no board I 

would just end up, assuming I succeeded, selling them as souvenirs anyway.

     I have just finished patching up my coat with a piece of striking 

plaid cloth that I found, "Watch out for sharpsho oters ifn ye turn 

sideways" says the corporal, but you have need no fear, I have yet to see 

rifle green out here, though the sergeant said that he heard the noise of 

some earlier, during the fighting.

I did not mention earlier did I? a while back a photographer to ok our 

company, maybe you have seen it in an illustrated or paper, if so would 

you send me a copy, the men are very curious.