June 26, 1864

 
In the Breastworks near Petersburg June 26th, 1864 My Dear Wife: Your letter I received a few days ago and was very happy to hear from you and that you and all the children were well. I am not so very well at present, but I hope I will get better soon. Hoping these few lines will find you well and family. I got a letter from my father the other day. I answered it. It was posted at Albany. I see by it he is going on to New York to see Mary and thence to Milwaukee to see brother[s] William and James. I guess he has finally come to the conclusion that I would not come under. No sir. Sarah we are fighting night and day here. We have got Petersburg under our thumb. Any minute we have a mind to blow it up. But we do not want to do that; it is too valuable a place. We can see all the town very plain. Sarah there is no use of me telling you anything because you can see more by the papers than I can tell you. If I was to make a detail of all that we have come through this summer it would take a book as big as a safe to hold it all. It is [illegible] but down here it is 22 miles south of Richmond it has not rained any since we have been down here. It is very unhealthy. We took a good deal of the rebel works here. I have been spared so far on the charges where our Corps made. There were hundreds fell at my feet and I was left alone. There is only 280 men left in our Brigade now after the charge. We had 4 men in our Regiment killed with one shell and 2 wounded. We have got about 30 men [fit] for duty now. No more [at] this time. My love to you and the children and all inquiring friends from your affectionate husband, John Bryden Please to write soon and give me all the news. Next Letter Previous LetterPlaces.htmlPlaces.htmlPlaces.htmlNames.htmlPlaces.htmlNames.htmlNames.htmlPlaces.html64_8_30.html64_6_7.htmlhttp://livepage.apple.com/shapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4shapeimage_3_link_5shapeimage_3_link_6shapeimage_3_link_7shapeimage_3_link_8shapeimage_3_link_9

Written in pencil on a half sheet of landscape-ruled 8” x 10” rag paper.  Watermark present, but illegible.