Head Quarters 44th N.Y.S.V
        Near Warrenton Va Aug 3d /63

   Dear Mother
	                I will now
spend a few moments in
writing to you for I know you
are always glad to hear from the
absent.    I have written two
letters since we have been
here one to Mary and one to
you but have received none
from home but am in hopes
I shall not have to wait
much longer. There is not
much news here at present
The Army has settled down
in the vicinity of Warrenton
and our Officers say we will stay
here until after the arrival 
of the conscripts and

that will be two or three
weeks at least, so there
will not be any very exciting
news from this quarter for
some time to come. The
Rebel Army is said to be in &
arround Culpeper but they
will undoubtedly retire to
Richmond when this Army
advances rather than give 
battle this side
   I would like to have you
give me the particulars of
the draft after it is made
in our town so that I can
know who is drafted and who
is not. the weather is
getting very warm and it
is almost impossible to do 
any thing in the middle of the
day. We do not get any
news from Charleston later
than the 22nd of July up to which


our forces were actively at
work bombarding the Rebel
fortifications. and we may
expect soon to hear that
Ft Sumpter has fallen and
that the stars and stripes wave
above its walls.
	There is nothing new
from the South-west and
indeed there is not much
to do in that direction
at present. the next 
news of importance will
probably come from General
Rosecrans or from Charleston
	          a
     	My he^lth is not very
good and I have not done
duty for nearly 2 weeks still
I am able to be arround
most of the time
    	 Harvey & George are well
as usual. also Benjamin Warden

   Nothing more worthy
of notice this time
     Write soon as convenient
and oblige your affectionate son
		John H Wheeler
To
  Friends at Home