p.

Hells Harbour Va

July 9/62

Friend Eliza

I received
your letter just before we began to
skedaddle. I will not attempt to describe
what has transpired here within two weeks
for I suppose you know more about it now
than I do. we have had no papers since we came
here and dont know what they think of
this thing at the north but it is verry
forcibly impressed on my mind that we are
compleatly overpowered and out generald by
the rebels. they turned our right flank and
compelled us to abandon a position that
cost us a great deal of labour and sacrifised
a great many lives to gain. some say it is
a great stragic movement of, McClellans
but I cant see the point, Smiths division
was rear guard all the way we had to
fight allmost every day and retreat at
night our loss of course is very heavy but I am
thankfull to get off with my life.