Dear Father & Mother

I received your letter day before yesterday and was very glad to hear from you I received that barrel the 9th and the box the 8th and was very glad that it come we divided it around and when the barrel come I was on guard over prisoners deserters from one of the Regt in our brigade the 44 O [i.e., the 44th Ohio Infantry] it has been in the service 16 months they went home and came back some of them themselves and the boys divided it and the next morning they got marching orders and left for Richmond and I was left behind to guard prisoners after they had been gone one

day then we started after them it took 2 days for them to come through 25 miles but I come in one day the marching orders came so soon that they had to eat up all of the things was eatable so I did not get any thing only butter and tobacco sorgum the boys in our tent put all of the dried fruit in togather and got it aboard of the waggon they done the best they could with the things The report is that the Rebels are out here in considerable force but I dont hardly believe it and the story around camp is that we have to go to diging trenches tomorrow morning perhaps

we have I dont know I hope not though for we have enough guard to stand and they say now that they are ploughing for the ditches so I suppose that there is something in it after all we are right on the ground where our forces were drove back by the Rebels a short time a go there is lots of bullets in the trees I received Cous Henrys letter the same day w you must tell him I wish him success in his school I received a letter from Cyrus last week you must tell him I cannot write to him yet awhile for we are hurryed around but I will write

when I get time there is no signes of our getting our pay yet a while I have go those stamps that you sent I divided that tobacco equally among us boys if I understood that you right that they had all payed but Harlan well I must close and so good by my love to all write soon if I dont answer all of your letters for we have no sunday here politely speaking I got those socks the same day I got the letter that is according to orders we do have a chance to get goverment socks but they are not worth while

H E Randall