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the mail has just gone I am to late 
 
Camp near Lancaster 
March, 29, the, 1863 
    Dear Brother & Sister 
as I have a little Lesure time 
I will try & write a few lines 
we have been on the move for 
the past Week, apart of the time 
we have been after the Rebels & 
a part of the time they have been 
after us. we have marched about 
100 miles. & we are only 8 miles  
from where we Started from. as 
not that doing well. we have been 
Countermarching. we would go out 
2 or 3 miles. in Sight of the enemy. 
& dare them to give Chase. but 
they was to Cunning to be traped 
in Such away. where we are now 
the Rebs was yesterday. Colonel 
Wolford. & his troops. & the 44 & 45. 
Ohio are after them now they have 
took agood many prisoners I 
guess the Rebels took about. 150 of our 
   men
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I would write more if I had time 
 
they took about 25 from 
our Regt, 2 from our Co 
L Dewel & John [illegible] 
were on picket when the Skedadle 
took place. we dont know how large 
a force the Rebels had I think 
we could held them [crossed out] [them] a good  
one if we had tryed it. but the 
General thought best to retreat & 
we had nothing to Say about it 
the Rebs drove of a quite a drove 
of cattle our men took about 150 
head back. So they did not make 
a very great Strike on their rade 
they Burnt the Bridge across the 
Dicks River. the Bridge cost about 
$60000 . last Fryday they called 
us up at 4 oclock we pitched 
tents & was ready to march at 
day light. we marched 8. miles 
to Nicolsville. pitched tents 
& Some of us went about a mile 
& got Some Straw & [illegible] &
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we dont get our mail very Regular 
 
30 bunked to gather. & how 
nice we Slept & felt. that is better 
Imagined than described we expected 
to have one good nights Sleep. but 
          one 
no. at [crossed out] [two] oclock they called us 
up. & told us to be ready to march 
in a few minutes & O how it rained 
cold. & rained all night. our Col 
went & Seen the General & had us Stay 
until 4 oclock when we Struck tents 
& marched back. we went to the Ky 
         8 miles 
River ^.  Stoped & eat Breakfast. then 
went on to Camp. Dick, Robertson 
which is 7 miles. got there about [crossed out word] 
three Oclock. it Stoped raining about day 
light. but it was very mudy marching 
when we got to Camp. D.K. we made 
a fire. but we had no Blankets 
So it was Cold. & we did not get 
much Sleep that night. we Sat [crossed out word] 
around the fire till 3 oclock when 
we marched on for Stanford. 7 
miles. got there at Sunrise. Stoped 
& made a fire the Boys run all over 
Town but we could not find 
much as the Rebels had ben in  
there the day before. & took all they had 
that was edible. we lay down & Slep 
awhile. then went to camp about 
a mile from Lancaster. & pitched 
tents. & we have had one good nights 
rest last night I went to a house 
& bought a piece of Corn. Bread, 
for a dime. about as much as I 
wanted to eat. this morning we had 
for Breakfast. hard Crackers 
& Coffee I expect we Shall have to 
march again in a little while on 
South if we dont go back to Lexington 
or Some other place. it is Said that Gen 
Burnside is on his way here. with 
15 thousand men. the 8. 17. & 20 Mich 
& Some Pennsilvania & New Jersy 
& New York troops. there is a quite 
a force around here 
George Cornell is not very well. Jude 
James & the rest of the Boys are all 
right George will be well in a day or 
two [illegible] is with us again 
the weather is cool. the country is fine 
it is reported now that our men took 
back 500 head of cattle write Soon 
    yours with respect. A.W. Barber