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Bolivar Heights November 2, 1863 Dear Friends: As we have made another grand move, and I don't have anything else to do today, I thought I would write a few lines and give you a few particulars. When I wrote my last letter this Wednesday past we were on Soudon Heights about three miles from Harpers Ferry. We were ordered to march the next morning back to the Ferry to take the place of General Summers Corps which have been ordered to the front the day before. We started at 6 o'clock and marched to Bolivar Heights , about a mile from the ferry and encamped. We are on the same ground where General Miles surrendered last September. Nearly all of our army that has been stationed around here were under orders last week as Division had been ordered back. It is thought by many that we will stay here to guard Harpers Ferry. We are encamped nearly on the top of Bolivar Heights which is a hill extending about a mile from the village. From where we are encamped we can see the country for 20 to 30 miles around. When it isn't smoky we can see the hills beyond Winchester which is where the Rebel home is encamped. There is a large balloon which goes up everyday within a half mile from us. It was up nearly all day yesterday looking at a big fight which I suppose is going on somewhere within 20 miles from us. We have heard firing ever since yesterday morning and I should think by all the noise they make that they are having lively times. Our Regiment was ordered out about 8 o'clock last evening, and stacked arms in front of the camp, we were dismissed and told to be ready to fall into battle line at anytime during the night, so we went back and laid down with our cartridge boxes to wait.While we have been encamped here they sent out 200 men every day on picket duty. I haven't been out as yet but expect to go tomorrow. The boys from our company that were out last night were real close to the Rebel pickets and had the good luck to capture one rebel and one big contraband which they brought to headquarters in the morning. The weather here has been quite pleasant since last Monday and I hope it will stay so. When we came back though Harpers Ferry I bought me a new pair of good road gloves. I gave 75 cents for them which was a cheap as I could have gotten them in Syracuse. You needn't be in a hurry to knit me any mittens. Our quartermaster delt out a loaf of bread for each man last night which is the first bread we have had since we left Washington. I then bought a 1/2 pound of butter and Jimmy and I lived high for once. Jimmy Hines was quite sick the fore part of last week but is nearly all well now. He was well enough to march from our camp over here. The boys are all well now. I went down to a small creek below the camp yesterday and did my washing. I don't think they are quite as clean as if mother washed them, but I got out most of the big dirt. I havn't had any letters or papers this week but I expect them tonight or tomorrow. I have to do my writing by sitting on my knapsack with a small piece of board across my knees as a writing desk. Oliver |
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