August  th 22  1862

we ar in virginia along the potoymick river  we ar in Camped between to
forts  we got here on thursday evening and we were knearly tierd out but
the next morning we wer all wright agin  we can hear the Canons roar every
hour in the day we have hard living now for we Caried it in the knapsack
these two days but we shal gitit to morow morning  ther are about nine
riegiments inCamp here  we ar in a big orched of aples and peaches

onarebels gnerals ground by the name of gneral lee  we ar Cuting down the
tres for to drill on the ground  ilike it well yet only the Sun Shines So
hot that it has burnt my fase and ears that it will peal off  ther was one
of abys rees boys in camp last knight but ididnt See him  we ar with in
twenty miles of his farm   we ar on the old batleground   iSaw wher Some of
the Solgers wher buried   we have found Some of the balls what wa Shot

iSaw wes rider to day and he Said he is well Satisfied yet only it is So
hot to drill  we was out adriling this morning adriling at five oclock and
driled till eight  isent  twenty dolars home with hoce robins and he Said
he would leave it at knobles Store for father to pick it up ther  we only
git twenty five dolars and that from the State  iheard that they would pay
it till the twenty fifth of this month  if they do pay it iwill Send it
home next weak  iSent my cloaths home to martses the 18 of this month and
iSent my fidle along with it and loid Cangitit  i hav rote about adosen
leter and hant got one

John Earnest
131 paensylvaniaa volinteers Capt tr jones compny
.............................................................................

End Notes:

The "...rebles gnerals ground by the name of gneral lee..." referred to is,
of course, Arlington. It was taken by the Union and the dead were buried
right in the yard around the house. Lee never returned to it. Later on it
became Arlington National Cemetery. The Lees were never paid for the damage
to, nor items stolen from Arlington. It was meant to be a nasty slap at
Robert E. Lee and the South.

The "old batleground" is Manassas, or what is referred to as First Bull Run.

"loid" is his brother, Lloyd.