Dear Ones at Home,

I received your letter about an hour ago.  I was very glad to hear from you.  I am well.  I don’t suppose that it as been made  public where Burnside is but you will probably hear before you  get this letter.  We have been here about a week.  We left Newport News a week ago yesterday.  We had  pleasant weather on our voyage but we were so crowded that it was very uncomfortable.  Every place big enough for a man to stand was occupied.   We landed at Aquia Creek Sunday about noon .  We were then packed inside or on top of freight cars and shoved through to Fredericksburg. 

We stopped a little this side of the city and went into camp on a hill about a half mile to the east.  It is very delightful country.  It is the hilliest country I ever saw.   Fredericksburg is a nice looking city.  I have not been into it but I can see all over it from a dozen hills.  It is on the opposite side of the Rappahannock River .  King’s Division is here.  They have skirmishes with the Rebels.  The Rebels generally get the better of them.  Guerillas are very numerous a few miles distant. 

The papers seem to think that Burnside is going to do something great.  I think he will but how soon I cannot tell.  Our orders are to be ready to start anytime.  We may move again in a day or it may be in a month.  We can’t tell what may turn up in that time.  The weather is extremely hot here now.  The ground is covered with a light dust that is the worst to stick of any dirt I ever saw.  There are camps on every hill.  Burnside has over 20,000 men under his command of infantry.  The Harris Light Cavalry are here.  They are the best Calvary in the service.  At least you would think so to hear them talk.

You say that the people think everything looks dark just now.  I don’t see why they should think so.  The reason they are afraid is they will be drafted or have to pay heavy taxes.  I hope they will.  How can they expect the army is going to do much when the weather is so hot.  We hear that McClellan has again resumed the offensive and is within ten miles of Richmond .  There is an immense lot of soldiers sick at this time.  More than half of our company is sick but I have not missed an hours drill nor an hours guard duty or duty of any kind since I had the measles at Annapolis .  A soldier has not one-twentieth as much to fear from the bullet as he has from disease. 

We got paid the next day after we came here.  We are not allowed out of camp.  Except three a day from the Regiment are allowed passes.  We cannot get into Fredericksburg unless we have a pass from the General but the village of Falmouth is a short distance up the river.  We can get whatever we want at a reasonable price.  I have been on guard duty twice since we came here and I have been out of camp every day since by taking French leave.  Those that are found out are fined.  I have been over to Falmouth twice.   The first time I went to the theater.

From your son,

Henry W. Brown