Camp near Sharpsburg  Oct 17th

Dear Father

        I this afternoon take the opportunity to write a few lines to let
you know how I am getting along. I am in the Hospital now but I think I
will get better now as we have moved the Hospital into a barn. There is
nothing much the matter with me only I have the direa and am very weak.
There are a great many of our boys sick now.

        Jacob Mowery a member of our Company from Shamokin was buried
today. On Monday the 6th inst. while he was cleaning his gun when loaded he
hit the hammer against a stone and it discharged and the load went through
the palm of the left hand and he died yesterday at 8 O Clock. He died at
Sharpsburg where he was taken a few days ago and was buried in the
Methodist grave yard and the Company got a coffin made and four of his
comrades buried him.

The Rebels are about here again. Yesterday they were fighting about Hapers
Ferry. We could hear the cannons roaring but today everything is still. I
must close my letter now and expect to hear from you soon.

                                From your son
                                        John Earnest

...........................................................................

End Notes:

It is interesting to note that this letter was not written by John. I
include it here for that reason, instead of making a diary entry. John was
quite ill, and was too weak to write.

Who wrote it? Obviously an educated person did, because the penmanship is
good; John's was not. There are few incorrectly spelled words, and the ones
he would misspell are correct. The closing is not John's way of closing.
Finally, John NEVER used punctuation; this letter does us it.

It was not uncommon to have someone write a letter home, particularly if
one was sick or wounded, and could not do it himself.

Who wrote it?     Next time we will find out.