Bivouac Near Upperville Va.
		Wednesday July 22nd /63
Dear Nell.
	    Your most welcome letter
of July 10th came to hand yesterday
morning and as we rested yesterday
and appearances indicate that we
shall do so today I will try to pen
you an answer.. Since my last
written at Purcellville nothing of
any importance has occured.
    We moved from there on Sunday
and came to this place about 15
miles. I think.. As we neared this

place. we <i>[usurpd?]<i> small scattering
parties of the Butternuts and I cap
tured one of them. He was evidently
taken by surprise (as I was myself
for I thought he was one our own soldiers
at first and he said that he took me
for his own party until too late to es
cape.. Other parties captured two of
Moseby's men who with Major White
was and I think yet is in this 
valley with perhaps near a thousand
men.. We are five miles from Ashby
Gap in a beautiful valley. between the
Bull Run and Blue Ridge moun
tains.. Some seem to think we shall
remain here a few days and I hope
we may as we need the rest badly.
   An order was issued this morning
tending towards the purging of the division
of all men not effective  All dismounted
men were ordered to be sent back to
Berlin. <i>[illegible in original]<i> and I think all sick
and lazy should be sent there too...
    (I would come in on the latter clause)

   We are encamped on the plantation
of an old Secesh who has been a Capt
in the rebel army and yet our regimen
tal staff makes his house its headquar
ters and furnished safeguards for his
garden sauce. He has a splendid house
built in Gothic style two stones high
above the basement with a two story
negro quarters situation on a high rise
of ground in the midst of the valley.
from which he has a splendid view
of the Blue Ridge on the North
West extending for many miles or
as far as they eye can reach. and on the
South the Bull Run Mountains
lift their peaks and extend along
the horizon on that side. Between
the mountains the valley lies exhibit
ing a picture at first beautiful but
the second look shows the barrenness
and desolated state of the country.
Occasionally a house can be seen
but it is not surrounded by the

the fields of waving corn and Wheat
which greeted our eyes in Md and Pa.
  We still continue to have an occas
sional shower. and we do not suffer
from drouth much. Today is clear
and warm with a cool refreshing
breeze and is such as we should call
pleasant in Michigan and it needs
only the presence of friends to make
us feel contented. Yesterday s mail
brought me four letters. Yours, one 
from Renes brother in answer to one
I wrote to Rene some time ago simply
saying that Rene was then in the Officers
Hospital at Nashville. Another one was from
Aunt Jeannette and Cousin Willie which
I need not say were interesting. How I
do love to read her letters.. So motherly and
giving so good counsel and advice in a way
that no one can deem intrusive. I shall try
to answer it today. For want of news and
press of business I must close. I hope that
you will not delay in procuring those pictures
I asked for in one of my last.
     Hoping to hear from Father and
Mother soon. and also yourself I
        remain as ever your affectionate
brother
Direct. Co A 7th Mich Cav	E. R Havens
Custerd's Brigade
Kilpatrick cav division
<i>[Vice?]<i> Washington D.C.