Spring Hospital Sept 18th  -/62

[Written upside down on the top of the letter]

			well Sarah I wish you
could do some washing for me this
			morning
for I have got to do some if it is
Sunday I have got so I can wash pretty good
well Sarah I don't think I can fill this
sheet much fuller if I do you cant read
any of it, so I guess I will stop

[End]

			Dear Sister
    now a few words to you as I have 
a little time and a good desk to write 
on I am well with the exceptions of 
the Ague, which I dont mind as thare 
are so/many suffering here, the Ague is 
nothing atall,  I wish you could see
the wounded here just for one moment 
thare are about 200 wounded men just
right around here within the sound of 
ones voice,  I have bin out around 
a little today and in some places 
thare are piles of limbs that have 
bin taken off, here within a few 
days and some one dying every day and 
some days three or four only think 
what an a dreadful thing this 
waris.  I never had any idea what 
it was when I was at home  

well not it is time to go the rounds 
again with my patients and I must stop 
for a few minutes but I had rather write 
as this is the first time I have had 
a chance to sit down in a chair to 
a desk since I left my dear old home 
in Michigan,  but this wont do for 
me so who ----------- now Sarah I have 
just got around  it has taken me just half an 
hour, and I will go on with my writing 
again but you kneed not think I am 
going to fill this sheet full for I cannot do 
it but perhaps you would like to know 
what kind of light I am useing  
it is a regular old lightning bug as 
what Mother used to call a slut light 
and I have got to get up and feed it 
so here I go ----- yes and here I come again. 
now I will tell you about the battle whare 
Will Shaw got hurt  the Mich 8th were in the
advance makeing a charge on the rebs which 
they did nobley but did not have men enough 
on the left to support them and the [smudge]

    enemy flanked them and got a cross 
    fire on them and they could not stand 
it  it was from the side firer he got 
his wound our Lieut  lost the end of 
his fore fingure and another ball struck 
his revolver which was in front of him  
the ball lodged on the  tube of his revolver 
and thus saved his life, our men have 
made great slaughter amoung the rebs 
for the last two days they say thare 
are eight thousand dead rebs on the 
field now between here and the river 
(the Patomac) I saw them whare our 
17th Mich made a charge on them last 
sunday they lay in piles like a stone 
fence from fifteen to twenty touching 
each other, we have got them drove out 
of Mayreland, and we have reliable news 
here to day that Richmond is in our posesion
 now and if that is so (Old Jeff) may
as well hall in his horns before 
he gets them nocked off for he is 
a gone Goose sure prety soon if that is so  

[Written on the sides of the letter]

take good care of my things for I am comeing home soon
and shall want them again

[End]

now a few words more and I must close for I am 
getting sleepy and dull and cant think of any thing 
but my nest on the floor but I want to know 
if you have heard from Alvah or Ed lately if you 
have when you write to them tell them to 
write to me and direct as you do and tell 
me whare to direct to them so I can write 
to them for I want to hear from them 
and when you write to Miss Mena H tell her that 
I have seen the time very often since I have 
bin out hre that I would have gladly excepted 
the invitation She gave you to Dinner in 
her last letter  tell Frankey I want her to 
take good care of my guinea Pig. give my 
respects to Mr. and Mrs. H.  tell them they 
will be ever remembered by me.  I have often
thought of them since I left home 
whenever I have stoped at a Farmers house 
and found them kind to me I have thou-
-ght of them now Sarah I am sleepy and tired 
and the other nurce has got up and I will 
lie down to rest but I wish I had Mothers
bed to rest on one night I could get more 
rest than I can here in a week perhaps 
I will say a few words to Freddie in the 
morning so good night) Good morning Sarah 
how are the folks this morning  I am feeling very 
well myself and Will feels a great deal better to this 
morning he rested very good last night.  O Sarah 
I had a dish of milk this morning which was 
the first I have had since I left home it was 
nice  Warren McComber gave it to me  now if you 
see Catey Bradley, tell her that Edward is well the
boys saw him the other day.  now I must bring 
this to a close for I have got to do some writing for 
will this morning as he cannot sit up long enough 
to write  if you do as well as this I will be 
satisfied but I want you to write just how 
mother is getting along write the bad with the 
good and write it all together please except this 
from your loving Brother
			            Benjamin F. March