July 6, 1862
                 City Point Va
Dear Sister Kate
                             I received your
letter the 19th June and wrote one
to mamma the next day and would
have wrote one to you if I had time
that day it was the last day
that we could send letters till now
we are on the bank of the James R
at present but don't know how long
we will stay here their has been
five days of the hardest fighting ever
was known in this world I saw a soldier
yesterday that was in the Crimean War
he said that it was childs play to this
their were three to one against us all the
time and sometimes five to one

[Written across page 2 and 3]

Mrs Warren thinks she will go with you she wants you to write and let
her know when you will start and how long your a going to begone
write time enough so if she dont go she wants to come do or send down before
you go if you want come up before you go down soon after you come
back if you can give my love to the folks in York state
Cate Baker

the Battle field on Dr Gaines farm
you could walk from one end to the
other of it on Dead Boddies no one
that has not seen it can form any
idea of it our loss has been nothing
to what theirs were I can form no estimate
of what were killed the papers say our
side lost 15,000 killed, wounded & missing that
of the rebels 40,000 but I should think
that the Rebels had that many killed
we have taken 3000 prisoners & 36 pieces
of Artillery that I have heard of the prisoners
I have seen and they are a hard looking
set of beings with poor cloths and dirty at
that and now I will tell you how
I like this life I have had but one sick
day since I joined the Regm and have
had to work hard most of the time
our Brigade built 12 Bridges across
the Chickahoming River & three across


the White Oak swamp but if they get 
me home before I see Richmond
they will have to put a Ball
and chain to my leg and send
me home I think it is the place
at present for every young man
in the northern states for they want
them now we get plenty to eat and
to wear which is all we can ask
for these times You must remember
me to the children and all the
     of
rest folks tell Thomas he must write as
soon as he can and let me know
if he married Charly Crother & Em
and took it in Sawing give
my Respects to mr Vanlite & wife
and tell him I will write to him
as soon as I can it is not the
easiest thing in the world to
write a letter now when you

if I hear what jim was mustered out
for before you go I will write and
let you know for Thomas did not write
but I have written to him to know
for I think he must been wounded

have to stop and do some work
every few lines you write write to
•• as soon as you can and let me
know how all the folks are and I
will write as o:ften as I can
    From Your Brother
                       Jim


P.S. Direct your letter to Co H
15th Regm N.Y.S.V. Engineers
                 General Woodbergs Brigade
now Mag you wanted this letter
so I will write a few lines we are all
quite well now I had a letter from
Thomas last saturday he was not very 
well he is five miles :from Washington
was to Washington the day before he
wrote found jims regiment but
they told him that he was mustered
out about one month ago