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Bunker hill VA
July 16th 1863
Ever dear Sister
Thinking
that you would like to
hear from me I accept the
present oportunity of writ
ing you a few lines &c
I guess you are aware
that this army has bin in
Ind & Pa we also had a
hard battle in Pa and
the confederates rather got the
worst of it &c now I will
explain why we were not
as successful as usual We
were successful until the
enemy was driven back to
the mountains. Then they
got such a good position
that we could not drive
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them away without lossing
a great many men we lost
a good many any how I did
believe & still believe &
allways shall believe that
if Wilcox brigade (The one
that I am in) had of bin sur-
po[r?]ted that we would of taken
the place Wilcox brigade
made a charge and drove the
yankees 1/2 mile taken several
pieces of artilery & had
the Yankees huddle up
like a flock of geese
but they had so many to
put against us that the over
powered us and we had to
fall back and give up all
of the artilery and ground
we gained on them besides
about half of our men
were killed wounded &
taken prisoner. turn over
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Sister I have done some
very hard marching and have
bin exposed to rain enough
to kill any pore mortal
it looks like but I am
still in the land of the
living and am injoying
good health at the present
time hope this may find
you and family the same
also Julia &c
I received a letter from
Emma & one from Ma yester
day They were all well &
said the same by you &
G.W. I wish you would
let me know what Regt
George is in also the letter
of his company & his
rank You told me once
before but I have forgotten
I would like to write to him
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Well sister I believe I
have given you all the
news so I will close
as I have two or three
more letters to write
you must write as
often as possible and
I will reply to every
one you write to me
Give my love to Julia
and the children accept
a portion your self
Your loving brother
J.G. Parsons