Dear Father
I received our letter of
the 27th this Afternoon and was very
glad to hear from you. You received mine
of the 20th. I wrote one to you the 18th
have you received it. I have not seen
anything of Walter Clute about hear
nor heard anything of him. There
are only four in our tent Chris
Peters, John Pollard, gill Harman &
myself. We do not have to cook our
own victuals, there is a cooks appointed
out of our company to take turns. You
speak about my good supper that
I had, I bought it of the peddlers
around the camp, The troops fare
a little better now than they did
before. We have moved our Camp
about three miles from Alexandria
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yesterday the 27th Our whole Brigade
is here now, we can see the Rebels
from the cupalo of an Accademy
which the Officers use as there quarters
from the Maine Reg. We have got a
very good camping ground here
now but the water is scarce. The Rebels
and our pickets have been fighting
all day having drove them ^’ours‘ back once
or twice but ^’ours‘ was reinforced and sent
the rebels a flying capturing 6 pieces
of canon the fighting was near Chain
Bridge. We expect a battle before long
Our Regiment is ready for them I
hop if we have a fight it will be
the last one and I go through it all
sound. Our Reg is in the 5th Brigade
I dont know what division Comanded
by Brig Gen. Franklin. We can hear
the roar of canon here very plain
but I dont know wheter it is ours
or not We are the fartherest Reg. out
towards the enemy. Col Jackson has
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gone home on account of his health for
seven days, he went sunday. Co. D. has
been on picket to day they were fired
on by the rebels, they throwed shell at
them but it was to high it went over
there heads none of the camp were
wounded. Two more comps go out to night
Coss. H. & C. I wrote to Doct. Van Dycke to
day I gave him an account of myself
I guess he will be pleased to hear from
me did you ask Uncle add wether he
received my letter or not I wrote you
about it in my last letter. I received
a letter from Jim to day and was
much pleased with it. I will see that
the box is all right when it comes. I
will go down the last of this week
and get it at Alexandria if comes
right through. How did you like
those Photographs that I sent you.
You did not say much about them
in your letter what did the folks say
about them Geo. Hoffman had his
taken (Aunt Lauries) Geo. You can see
[page 4]
me in his as I set aside of his tent
Ask Aunt Laurie to let you see it
I sent you some papers, did you
receive them if so let me know.
Why dont you send me more paper
than you do so I can see the news
I dont know of anyting more to write
of at present. Give my love to Herriott
Ann and Dunck and all the rest of the
folks Col Young sends his best
respect to you Tell Rodneys Father he
sends his love to him and all the
folks Direct your letters to Washington D. C.
it has been a dull rainy day.
Write soon tell George Ann to write
to me soon as the candle is most burned
up I will close with a Good Bye
From you Aff Son
A D Barhydt
Co E 18th Reg
Andrew D. Barhydt 18th New York Infantry
MSS 8979-l