June 5th, 1864.
I received two letters from home yesterday. Although nearly a month has passed since they left the hand of my loved one, the joy and comfort they bestow is inexpressible. Oh, my darling, how my heart has been tortured by the long delay.
The siege of Richmond has actually begun. We are only eight miles from the city, and I can plainly hear the booming of heavy siege guns. There has been heavy fighting the last three days, all resulting in our favor. I have been where I could hear and see much of it. Dr. Bonine, who has our parole papers, is surgeon in charge of Division Hospital. He is very busy during these days of continual fighting, and cannot attend to us. So we must wait until this campaign is over. I have liberty to go where I choose within our lines. I saw Mortimer Crawford yesterday. He said he had been through all the late battles and escaped unhurt. Jerome Beardsley was killed in the first day’s fight in the Wilderness. Lieutenant Gould was also killed.
