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On the Battle field of Williamsburg
Wednesday May 7 1862

Well, my own wife, I am writing this on the field of battle yesterday & day before and I wish I could half describe all I have seen of the fight & of the dead & dying around me.  I cannot begin to describe all we have done since I left camp. We left on Sunday & have been on the march since then.  We passed through the Rebel fortifications near us shortly after leaving our camp & on our way a shell which they set as a trap hurt & killed one man & wounded six.  We passed through them & advanced rapidly into the country & met everywhere signs of the rapid retreat of the Rebels fires lighted & meat in the plates.  That night we rested on the field about 15 miles from where we started.  Next morning we advanced again & [(cross out)]heard heavy firing ahead & in the aft we met Gen McClellen