Fairfax Court House   Fairfax Co Va
			March 11th 1862
	Dear Friends at home
		I now seat myself to
   write you a few lines to let you know that
I am still in the land of the living and
well though somewhat tired.
Sunday night we were awakened about
ten oclock and orders given us to supply
ourselves with sixty rounds of cartridges &
3 days rations and prepare to march
and we waited impatiently until about one
Oclock monday morning when the command 
was given to march. We went directly to
Fairfax Court House where we heard the enemys
pickets were stationed but when we arrived
there we found the place in possession of
our forces which had arrived the day before
We staid there about 2 hours and then
tooke up our line of march for Centreville
where the rebels were expected to make a
stand, we came in sight of Centreville
about half past 3 oclock. and after
reconoitering a little while they sent a
scout up to the first post and found
the place evacuated. we then marched

into the place and encamped for the night
in the barracks which the rebels had left
their barracks were very comfortable and
we had a good nights rest, and we
enjoyed it for we were a set of tired boys
having marched 25 miles in the mud
and rain.. Centerville is a small vilage
consisting of one Public house one or two
stores a steam sawmill and several
private buildings just about such a place
as [rices?] mills in Ashford. but it is
a place which required but little work
to make it a pretty [forminable?] position
the rebels had [laid?] out considerable work
and had constructed 26 forts or earth
works as they are called and the interviles 
between these forts they throwed up brest
works to cover their infantry these forts
were calculated to mount from six
to 12 guns but there had never been any
mounted except a few field pieces and those
the rebels took in there retreat.. in some
of the forts they had placed logs painted
black at the ends to resemble guns in order
make a show but the microscopes of our 
Officers soon discovered the difference and
we found it much easier taking them than
if they were what they represented

	There are at Centerville winter quarters
     sufficient to accommodate 50000 trooops
   and the appearance is they were well fed
but rather poorly clothed we found eatables
in almost every shanty on the field. the boys
are looking all around to day 11th to find some
relick to take home. some of the boys have
found old swords some old bayonets and
some one thing and some another I am
going to send home some things which I found
are in particular a confederate postage stamp
and also an envelope which I found with a
verse wirtten on the back with a led pencil
    We staid at Centerville till about noon
then we came back to Fairfax a distance
of 7 1/2 miles and set up our rubber tents and
are here now when we move again I do not
know but it will not be long.. while we
were at Centerville our cavelry went to [?]
[Manesses?] and found that place evacuated &
on fire so you see they are rather afraid of the
Northern Army..  When we got back to Fairfax
we found about 50000 there ready to support us
if we needed.. Our position is the most
honorable in the Army being the advance
Guard of the army.. Yesterday and to day
has been the two days long looked for
for there has been a general Advance of the

army of the Potomac and the rebels
"fly before us like the arrow from the bow"
It is doubtful in my mind if the rebels
ever make a stand this side of Richmond
and they will not make a very long or
efficient stand there for it is not very
strongly fortified and we are not going to
give them time to fortify it
     Pleas take good care of those thing
I send within so that if I ever come
home I can have them.. I am so
tired that I guess I will not write
any more this time but there is much
that I could describe if I felt like it
     Write soon and direct as usual. do
not feel uneasy but leave "tears for
tomorrow and hope for today"

	From the absent one
		
		J W Wheeler