Camp 7th Michigan Cavalry Near Amissville Va. July 28th 1863. Dear Nell. I believe it has been three or four days since I wrote you and nearly twice as long since I received any word from you.. So having already written two letters and think ing that I have “got my hand in” I will try and bother you a few moments while you read this.. No matter where I was when I wrote you last. I a int there now. We are now farther south and west / than we have ever yet been.. Amissville is situated some four miles from the foot of the Blue Ridge at Thornton's Gap. twelve miles from Warrenton and about the same distance from Culpepper Court House.. It is needless to tell you that we crossed the Rappa hannock to get here. though if some one had not told us we should not have known it.. Where we crossed it were about as large as the Dowagiac at Niles. though somewhat deeper.. We moved from Parie to this place on Friday afternoon just one day too late to participate in quite a severe little brush between the rest of our brigade and a large force of rebel infan try.. Our men charged upon them and soon found themselves almost surrounded and had pretty warm work to get out again.. They lost 20 men in Killed. and quite a number wounded and/missing.. The rebs charged upon two guns of our battery and came near taking them, but were prevented from doing so by the Mich 1st / [illegible in original] which a better regt does not existed in the U.S. army.. We do not hear much news for sometime past.. The most impor tant.. is that Morgan wt with his whole gang has been captured.. “Hurrah for Our Side” whoever did it.. Also that Jackson Miss. has been surrendered to Genl. Grant.. (I hope he will “Grant” every rebel soldier in the southwest a “leave of absence” forever, and there come up and “Grant” Lee and his army a leave forever. and if prisoners tell the truth the men in Lee's army would be as well suited as we could be. I saw some twenty prisoners an hour ago. two of whom were deserters.. Every deserter and many prisoners say that Lees army is most decidedly “played out.” Every one is dissatisfied and ready to quit.. Although we have done no hard marching or fighting. we have seen hard times since Friday last.. Our rations gave out on that night and our teams not coming up we drew no more till this morning. We went on picket Saturday night with nothing but berries and mutton cooked with no salt or pepper.. and to cap all a soaking thunder shower e came up. which despite our poncho^s wet us nearly to the bone.. We foraged some on Sunday going some five miles from our picket lines to [Hanzel?] river where we came in sight of a rebel picket.. and returned Yesterday morning we were releived and again started on a foraging expedition, which continued nearly all day resulting in the cap ture of some corn and flour and a few geese which we charged upon. This was the second charge I have been in and I must say I liked it much better than the first one. I have heard it rumored to day that our regt would be consolidated with the 1st which if consolidation must take place would suit me much better than any other.. It is not because I do not feel so great an interest in home as formerly that my letters are shorter but that I do not feel so great an interest in what I see around me. It has lost much of the interest it used to have. to see new country and scenes through which we pass.. Allen Park & Wm Graham are both well and as for myself I am decidedly Ed again.. Write often and make your letters as long as possible.. Ever Your Brother Edwin R. Havens Two hours later. As we have moved our camp about a mile today it furnishes a little item of news.. I was detained at our old camp on duty for some three or four hours after the remain der of our regiment had moved and during that time found time to write the above lines and on arriv ing found your letter of the 21st awaiting me.. and need I say it was eagerly opened and read.. and re-read the second and third times.. I tell you Nell. that one does not fully and truly realize the comforts of civil life and society of friends until he is deprived of them, and then every letter is seized with the greatest eagerness.. and its contents carefully scanned.. I have no doubt you felt a great deal of anxiety until my letters were received. I have felt the same when waiting the receipt of yours. I can not forget Father's and Mothers age and failing health and that a week or a day may make as great a change in human life amid the comforts of a peaceful home as amid the strife of war.. That the danger is not so painfully apparent is the only dif ference.. I am much concerned about Melinda's eyes, and sincerely hope that Dr. Andrews may give her the help he promises.. Two of our boys were fooling this morning with sabres when one of them unfortunately struck the other one on the ball of the eye with the edge of his sabre and he is now suffering great pain.. By your letter I should judge that Mr. Jarvis had got his house in position on the new change of base spoken of sometime ago although that fact has never been reported. and I have much wondered at it.. How does it look.. and how do the pigs chickens and horses agree? You also mentioned Henry Clark. It was the first time any of you have ever mentioned him What does he do, or are you so much taken up with the others that you have no time to speak or think of several others.. I like to hear of the welfare of all my friends.. I received a letter from Frank Snow yesterday.. He was at Mishawaka Ind. and said he was doing well.. I hope his soldiering tour will make him more steady than he used to be “Uncle Samuel” has already replaced my horse with one equally as good, and now if you replace the pictures “Ceasur will be himself. will be him again” The rebs. keepe prowling around us in small numbers. picking off a few who straggle out.. Dan. [illegible in original] and another boy as big a devil as himself have just come of in from out ^ the picket lines where [illegible in original] infantry rebs fired upon them one ball [illegible in original] King his companions horse on the [illegible in original] of the hip. inflicting a glancing wound and then cutting his revolver belt. Dan is a good sol dier. fears nothing and has been in a good many such scrapes in which he has acquitted himself well. To show you why these rebs prowl around our campes bush whacking in this manner I will give a com mon rumor in our camps. For every pris oner they get 100 dollars. horse from three to five hundred. saddle and bridle 75 to 100. pistol 50 to 75 and other arms in proportion.. These sums are all paid in Confederate Scrips of course, but here that goes as readily as Green Backs. and I would as soon have it to spend /I could get it I would never use a Green Back. Our boys cut up some great tricks while carrying out the Confiscation act.. Beers, Dans companion, stole a mare of an old Secesh who gave him 65 dollars in C.S… Beers. took the money and watching his opportunity stole the mare again and brought her in.. I can not say that I always approve of the men taking every thing and from every one. Our orders now are to take every thing that we want and it is carried out to the letter.. It will be almost im possible for you to imagine the desolate state of the country are now in. The rebs took all they could and now our men take what they can get and nothing but starvation seems to be alread in store of them. Unless peace soon comes for Virginia will be a desert. Write soon Ed.