Civil War Correspondence

a taist [taste] of shelling also and a much more effective one than we received for our only loss was twoo [two] horses and one man slightly wounded in the foot I have not time to write particulars now we followed them into the Shenandoah Valley beyond a little vilage [village] (called Berryville, Virginia I believe) some nine miles

We were then ordered back and here we are again on the old ground I am in good health and have not received a scratch Had Gen Wright General Horatio Wright who commanded pressed the enemy as I think he might we would have had more fighting and I think the enemy would have went with less plunder to their home but our orders were always, not to bring on an engagement as the infantry and artilery [artillery] could not come up to assist but we could have done much without them if allowed and our Col chafed under the restraint, he had command of all the cavelry [cavalry] forces. I have no more papers and there is none in camp or I would write more particulars I will write again when I have an opportunity

Regards to all and as ever O Ayer

Camp near Berryville Shanendoah Shenandoah Valley Sept 12^th

Friends at home

I received a letter from Sister A yesterday and was glad to hear from home and friends once more As I am doing little in camp today I will ans [answer] it Our Brigade went out on reconorceance [reconnaissance] this morning and I did not go along as I could not find my horse in time They took out a section of artillery from the battery belonging to the brigade Already I hear the thunder of its guns at the front and an engagement is going on The 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] has been brigaded three times since leaving Washington for the Middle department At first it consisted of the 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] 2^nd MD [Maryland] and 22^nd PA [Pennsylvania] Cav [Cavalry] The latter was then taken out and the 25^th N Y [New York] put