Aug 13, 1862 Moses H. Buchanan to John P. Buchanan

[envelope front]
Mr. Samuel W. Buchanan
Goodson
Va

[left end envelope front]
Private M.H. Buchanan
Co F 37th Va regt

[paragraphs added for ease of reading]

[envelope was addressed to brother Samuel but letter was written to father John P. Buchanan]

    1862                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             August 13th

Camp Magruder
Dear Father
I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you all in the enjoyment of the same blessing[.]

I received Nancy letter yesterday and was sorry to hear that you were sick[.] I hope you may get well tell mother I received the things she sent me by Esq Rice[.] We have had another fight with the enemy and drove them from the field the fight lasted about four hours both sides fought with great fury and the loss of life was great on both sides. I do not know what our whole loss was[.] Our Regiment lost about 15 killed and 100 wounded we had 2 captain killed and 3 wounded[.] Col Williams

was slightly wounded our company lost 1 killed and 10 wounded[.] W McCall was killed[.] Thomas Painter was wounded in the thigh but not dangerous[.] S Straws and J Trent will each have a leg taken off the other wounds are slight[.] We have fallen back to our old camp about twenty miles we expect another engagement in a few days[.]

I am out of paper and envelopes but if life and health is spared I will write to you again as soon as I can[.]

Your affectionate son
Moses H. Buchanan