Respected parents and friends

I again seat

myself to write the news I have nothing very

important to write I thought as it was my

birth day I would try and write you wanted

in your last letter to know if needed any thing

I believe I do not need any thing that you can

send me unless you could send me some flag

root in a letter I lost mine it was in my

knapsack I had a small piece in my pocket

and I have not used it all yet we had

one shirt coming to our tents crew and we

drew lots for it and I drew it so I have

two now our new clothes have come and we

shall have them given out in a few days

we are still at work on the fort and we have

begun to cut the woods down six men goes

every day into the woods and of our company

there is about two hundred in the whole

that goes into the woods besides the guard

[page 2]

our sick ones are getting better Keen has

got so to walk out a little but he loos as

though he could not live long but he may

get well again the rest of the sick belonging

to this company are doing nicely I think

that two or three will get discharged as they

are not fit for duty. Tell Washington he

had better not enlist to come out here if he

wants to ever so much for t his is a bad

climate for any one with a caugh like him

we have warm days and very cold nights

when it rains here it comes down steady and

hard, the thunder showers are very heavy the

natives here say that the sickliest part of

the season is past if we are carefull and not

get the fever and ague they say the northern

people are apt to have it about here. Capt Tobie

returned here last Thursday to take command

of his company again and we was very

glad to see him again but I do not think

he will be able to stand the climate his

health is not very good, Lieut Bucknam

is now sick he has not been on duty for two

[page 3]

or three days they say t his morning he is

very sick I do not know what is the

matter with him. I should not wonder if

we had reengagements with the rebels before

a great while one brigade composed of five regts

has marched twords the reels encampment

this morning I suppose with the intention

to attack them we shall know in a few

days our brigade has passed in review before Gen

McLellan I think he is noble and brave man

and he will meet with success I have no

kind of doubt the army place full confidence

in his skill and judgment. I think

befor many days we shall have plenty

of news and then there will be

something to write

Yours in hast

Hiram M. Cash

Private Co K 5th Maine

William A. Tobie, Captain Co. K, 5th Maine

Hamlin T. Bucknam, 1st Lieutenant and later Captain Co. K. 5th Maine

MSS 12916