Letter 19 — Camp on the bank of the North Ana River near Spotselvaney Cort House V A, May the 17, 1864

Dear Muther I am thankful that I have the priviledy ove writing onst more we are both well at present and hope when this coms to hand it may find you and the rest ove the frends enjoying the same gods blesing well muther we have had a rough time ove it since we left camp we left camp on the 4 and on the evning of the 5 we had a hard fight we had thre wonded and wone cild it wase Roberd J Baird that wase cild a near naber of unke Ikes Overpack Smithen Metcalf wase wonded in the left hand and a yong felow from Springfield wase wonde in the sholder by the name of Maxwell Henrey Stevens wase struck on the left brest his day book and his wach wase all that saved his life the ball struck the corner ove his day book and his wach mashed the wach all to peses and brused his brest rite smart he wase cared back to the hospite and in too or thre days he wase back with us a gane ower Compney has ben very luckey there hase ben a good meney wonded and cild in the regement Colerln Kiffer wase wonded Mager MclyKane wase kild this was the first evening of the fit we w se fiting a ll days right a long we have ben a laying quiet for a copel ove days now I dont now how long it will be before we will be on the move a gane there has ben a bout one hunderd and fifty cild and wonded in the regement since we left camp we have ben luckey to what some regt have well Muther George hase a nise thing ove it now he wase detaled a few minets a go to drive ambulanc that is a nis pozison in the armey there is noe danger much and can allways ride George rite to you thre or fore d ys a go we recievd a leter from aunt Pheba and Gran muther last evning and wase glad to here that they wase well every thing loks now as if this ware will soon be over Muther rite as often as you can and we will doo the same we cant rite when wver we please we can get malr oftner than we can send it dont fret about us I think we will get throve all rite my love to you all yore sun Mathew Overpack

excuse bad riting as I had to make a riting desk ove my nee