Camp of Kilpatrick's Division In the woods near Falmouth Va Sunday August 30th 63 Dear Mother. Your unlooked for but truly welcome letter of Aug. 16 came to hand a week ago. and I have thought several times of answering ere this but some thing has occurred to prevent my doing so until this morning. I wrote Nell about the time I received yours which I hope has reached you ere this.. At that time we were doing picket at and above Falmouth while our camp was some two miles this side of there.. We were releived from picket on Friday and moved back here some three miles from the camp we then occupied and a mile and half from our camp near Hartwood Church.. We are back away a mile an from the county road running from Falmouth to Warrenton Junction and no road of any consequence runs near us.. There is no news of any consequence from our own division.. Friday night about midnight our regiment was called up and a detail made from each com pany was sent off with one days rations for themselves and grain for their horses. They returned to camp about nine Oclock last night.. having been on a reconnoisance to Acquia Creeks but without seeing any rebels. I did not go as I am still in arrest. and having recovered my good health I am getting pretty well rested Our mail carriers while coming from Warrenton Junction on Friday were attacked by guerrillas and three men wounded, one severely at first reported Killed the other two slightly wounded The mail was captured and so yes terday we had no mail and ours has not come yet this morning.. It was at first reported yesterday that the expedition which left our camp the night before had gone in search of the querrillas who captured our mail.. Small parties of these guerrillas are prowling around near our camps picking up stragglers who get too far from camp. They cannot be captured because they cannot be found when we go after them as soon as they find themselves pursued they scatter and separate and cannot be found as the citizens secret them and are themselves among the guerrillas.. The only way to successfully exterminate these parties is to depopulate the country of citizens.. True we find some excellent people among the citizens but they /are like hensteeth mighty scatter ing.. Nearly every citizen must have a safeguard over his property and some of them are as fierce as tigers if anyone goes near an apple tree or potatoe patch.. A few days ago a Wm Graham and myself were riding along the road when I saw a peach tree in the open field some rods from the road and proposed that we get some peaches. We rode out to the tree and found a patch of nice looking potatoes and thinking a few would help our dinner a little we got a sharp stick and pitched into a couple of hills but could find no pota toes.. We had scarcely pulled the first top when we heard an awful screaming at the house a short distance off which didn't scare us any Pretty soon we saw the old man running towards us followed by two little boys and his wife. and carrying in his hand a paper par cel which was understood to be his protection papers. and gave up the idea of having potatoes for dinner.. The man spoke quite pleasantly at first and stated that he had papers for protec tion and hoped we would not molest his property. We assured him that we should respect his papers and his property.. and were mounting to depart in peace. when the old woman opened fire from her battery and com menced calling us black thieves bestowed and ^ various other epithets equally complimentary.. This raised our [illegible in original] somewhat and we, perhaps not very politely requested her to shut up. as we did not intend to abuse any one or suffer any abuse from them. We finally raised quite a breeze and the old fellow threatened to report us to the Provost Marshal of the division while we told him to crack his whip and go ahead.. We have'nt seen the Provost Marshal yet.. It is amusing, and yet it often raises ones sympathies to see the women cry at the loss of any little things which may chance to be taken by our soldiers.. They have had so much practice in the art that one of them will cry as hard and as sin cerely at the loss of an old rooster as a woman in our state would at the loss of the dearest friend she ever knew.. Such prayers as they can make to induce one not take anything are worthy of the imitation of many clergy men Speaking of roosters. let me relate one anecdote concerning one.. One of our boys a few days ago took a notion to go foraging on his own [hook?] and alone. He had got a mile or so from camp and came to a clearing in which stood some dilapidated old buildings.. He rode up to the buildings and could see no signs that any one lived there: the only living thing he could see on the place was an old rooster which he took quite a liking to. So hitching his horse, he took after it.. after chasing it till he was almost out of breath he got the rooster in a corner and began to think his efforts were to be crowned with success. He was just putting his hands on it, when whack came something over his neck and shoulders and he dropped Mr Rooster and looked around.. He saw an old woman standing over him with a hoe in her hand with which she had struck him.. Said she. you nasty. good for nothing sneak what are you trying to do with my rooster. Why that is the only rooster I have got.. He said he mounted his horse and returned to camp thinking he had done and seen enough for one day.. This woman was as good grit as one our men found while on the raid a month ago after Moseby.. They went to her corn crib after her corn which she defended successfully for sometime with a long pike pole and not until some of the boys threw several ears of corn at her some of which struck her did she beat a retreat. But I am running on to a great length. Well if you get tired stop and rest a day or two before finishing.. If I had news in plenty to write my letters would'nt be half so long. but as it is I rattle away on what happens to interest me. just as I would were I talking to you in our pleasant home. It is Sunday too and Sunday is a great day for visiting. I have only a few words more to say.. One thing I had forgotten to state while I was speaking of prowling parties of rebel guerrillas.. You will perhaps remember in a letter which I wrote from “Near Hartwood Church” on our first arrival there. that I stated that our 1st Sergt Holton started with us but being taken sick attempted to return to the Hospital at Warrenton Junction. and as he did not rejoin us we supposed he was in the hospital there until a few days ago. when “Our Briggs” received a large and long letter from him written at Parole camp Annapolis. Md.. We were much surprised but on reading the letter we found that instead of returning to Warrenton Junction he had staid at an infantry camp that night and feeling pretty well started on next morning. Taking a route across the country to Stafford Court House. He was leading an extra horse and riding leisurely along not thinking of danger when he heard the order to halt and on looking up saw a reb ahead of him a few rods off. He reached for his revolver when he imme self diately found him ^ surrounded by quite a squad of them.. And sur rendered.. They crossed the Rappa hannock with him near one of our pickets. took him to Richmond put him at first in the Libby Prison. shortly afterward to Castle Thunder and soon paroled him and sent him to Fortress Monroe from there to the parole camp at Annapolis where he found one of our corporals taken at Gettysburg. He says they used him well most of the time. but took 31 dollars in Green Backs from him.. He said he had a ten dollar Confederate note which they told him he might keep if he wished But this letter is long enough for common folks and I will stop. and wait until next Sunday or some other one before I write again.. I hope you will not delay answering this any longer than you did before. and write good long letters. I shall look for a letter from Nell in a few days.. Give my compliments to all our friends and accept the best wishes of your Unworthy Son Edwin R Havens P.S. I wish if convenient you could send me a dollars worth of stamps as I can not get them here and am compelled to get my letters franked..