Snicker’s Gap, July 20^th,
1864.

Dear Wife,-

Here I am just in the mountains. I wrote you Sunday when we laid back near Leesburgh. We have no mail now. Was detailed yesterday for cattle guard. The letter that I had written I gave to Asa Moran, as the 8^th Vt. lay near our cattle and mails might go out and I know nothing about it, as we lay generally in some out of the way place with the Beeves that belong to our brigade. The third division came up Sunday. You can judge how anxious I was when they passed us, for the 10^th Vt. came and Zopher among them all right, as you have probably heard before this time. We left Monday morning, came on by an easy march through the Gap and camped. The troops remained in the same place yesterday and I suppose are there now. The cattle were there then. Our forces are near the river. Last night just at dark got orders to take the cattle back into the mountains but not through. We got here just on the East side of the Ridge at 11 o’clock and are here now. It is now 8 o’clock A.M. How long we are to remain I know not. Most of the wagon train is near us. The air, the same as it was Sunday, is full of rumors.

Six miles from Leesburgh, on the road to

Snicker’s Gap, July 17, 1864.

Dear Wife,

Here we are on our march. I wrote to you last from Poolsville. Sent the letter to Washington by Bill Dwyer to be mailed. The day I wrote we laid still. The men were very badly used up by being up nights and the march. We left yesterday morning, followed the river up to White’s Ford. The Ford was held by a few rebels. They were quickly shelled out. The cavalry crossed and took a few prisoners. The main force of the rebels crossed there, the day we came to Poolsville. We crossed about noon, forded the river. It was fun, then we came here by a rapid march.

1864.

I picked this up at Washington. Man who had it will never see friends nor loved ones more, as he laid dead on the rebel skirmish line.

Charles E. Blake.

….

Rocky Mount, N.C., May 31, 1864.

Dear Husband, –