Hampton Roads Nov 24/62
          On Board the Transport – Key West –
Dear Sister               off Fortress Monroe
               It has been a long while
since I wrote to you but I wrote the
last letter and have been waiting till Ive
got tired so you must excuse me for
writing two letters without an answer
you will [probably] remember that the last
letter that I wrote that I got an answer
from I was in Washington I have been
tossed about a good deal since then we
left Washington Last Spring and went to
Bull Run and saw where the Rebels had
been then came back to Alexander got
aboard Transports and went down the Potomac
to Yorktown waited till the Rebels left then
followed them with part of the army to
WmBurgh but the brigade that I was in
went up the York river to West Point
and got their in time to cut off the rear
Guard of the Rebels and that was the first
time that I had a smell of gunpowder

but I did not like it much then but
I have got used to it now and like it
we did not have men – enough for
to keep them – and they got away so we had
to chase them farther till we run them across
the Chickahoming then they thought they had
run far enough and turned and [illegible in original] a
little way and landed us on the banks of the
James River after Seven days of as hard fighting
as ever was known in this country or any
other but I got through it safe with but very
little damage but I got a discharge from
the army and went to New York till
I got well then I enlisted with the 133 Regm
New York, S.V. as first Seagt and think that
I will have a commission in a few days
for I hear it is on its way here the Regm
is waiting here for orders and I think
that we will go on an expedition to
Charleston but how soon we will go
I cant tell but hope it will be soon
for I am getting tired of staying in one
place so long I came here to fight

and if they don't want me to fight I
want to go home a gain if we go to Charleston
I think that we will have some good fun
their for I think that they will fight
hard to hold Charleston but when the little
monitor gets at them they will have to go
under. I have to keep a dairy in the company
Report Book so the next letter that I send
you I can give you an account of our
doings as we march along
give my kind Regards to all the folks
that has not gone to the war and
Remember me to Thomas and the
Children and if I live till I get
back I think I wont get killed in the
war
           From Your Brother
                                          Jim

PS. Direct your letters Jas Hardenbergh
                         1st Seagt Co C
                              133 Regm N.Y.S.V
     Fortress Monroe or Elsewhere

[written sideways]
write as soon as you get this