Photostat

Camp 12 Aug 64

My dear brother Carter

I was very much gratified yesterday at recg your letter of the 5th- & pleased to learn the good health of your household & the safe return of Sis_ Lucy and Mildred.  What did you let them go away from you for?  The raiders might have captured them & taken them to Yankee land.  I fear Sis_ Lucy did not shew much skill in preparing that breakfast, or she certainly would have been carried off & Mildred made to bring in the hot cakes.  Do not be uneasy about the location of my camp.  You will be delighted I am sure at the name of the place- Violet Bank.  Is it not attractive?  The shells do sometimes burst over us, but not often, & they have as yet done no harm.  Besides where can we go to get rid of them?  They pervade all space for miles, & I cannot be too far away.  But Genl Grant has ceased his fire now & taken to digging.  He is entrenching strongly in our front & has moved a large force over on Dutch gap on James river, & is cutting a canal across much of the land.  What use he proposes to make of it when finished I now do not see.  He may think he may draw off the water above & thus leave our ironclads high & dry; or having stopped up the natural channel, he may wish to open a better artificial one.  We must be patient (page 2) Mr Carter.  I suppose he is preparing something to startle us out of our property.