Hagerstown  July 8th [1863] 
 
 
Dear Sister: 
 I have at last received letters from home, one of the 10th. and one of the 27th. of June.  I was truly glad to get them as they are the first for a month, the longest time I have been without letters. 
 Since I last wrote we have pulled through trying scenes.  Through all of which, by the mercy of God, I have been spared whilst others have been cut down.  In the third of the series of battles around Gettysburg our little band of boys were all killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, except Lieutenant Jones, Whitemore and myself.  Truly I feel thankful that I am spared.   
 
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Our Reg. has only 66 men left and the whole division suffered proportionally through the folly of our hard fighting Johnson.  He has none of the qualities of a general but expects to do everything by fighting.  Three or four times did he throw our gallant band against powerful breastworks and Yankees without number each time mowing them down. 
 I cannot give you the list of the killed and wounded as they were left in the hand of the enemy, except Horace Paxton and Frank Amole.  I escaped by being in the rear of the regiment to prevent men going off the field unnecessarily, I had a very disagreeable position as I was exposed to the fire of  
 
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the enemy and could not fire myself, a position I do not at all covet. 
 I will not venture an opinion on the battle as you can judge from our papers.  What the result of it was--we were not whipped though we suffered heavily.  The first two days fighting was entirely in our favor.  How unfortunate it was we attempted to drive them from an impregnable position. 
 We are now lying near Hagerstown Md.  Whether Lee intends going across the river I cannot tell, but if we do have to fight again we will have a fair field and I fear not the result. 
 
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 We had two Gens. killed, Brigs. Gens. Garnett and Kemper, and ten wounded.   
 My dear sister how differently I feel now exposed to death and danger with God as a protector; I care not what may be the privations and dangers knowing that God can bring me through them all. 
 I will have to close my letter as we have to go on inspection.  My best love to my little niece but dont kiss it for me, 
         Ted