Promoted to orderly sergeant for company; on picket duty near Mt. Vernon; many sick

                             Fairfax
                               Oc[  ]
Dr Doc
     Doubtless you are surprised [  ]  my delay in not writing you a [  bef]ore this.  My reason is that since I returned to camp I have been so busy I had not time in fact to write.  I have been promoted to orderly serget of the company and I have a great work to an for the company-we have just returned from Picket duty-we were 8 miles of Mt Vernon and almost in sight of the "grand army" picket-we were out five days-no doubt there will be a fight in the Potomac in a short time-we advance a little every day & the enemy recedes-most cowardly set I ever seen-we will start for Maryland in a few days-so says "camp rumor" if we don’t no telling what will become of us-the men are all tired of "no advance" we have a great many sick, some 27 left our company for home the other day- Since 5000 men at the

[  ] other day waiting for ?
[   ]you must not be alarmed
[  ] we have a large force
[ ] Bob to write to me soon
[  ] write and give me the news
[  ]   Hoping that you may soon
[   ]  coming back and a survivor   I remain
                       Yer Brother
                            Jas T Gleaves esq
  
 Gib    386.00
Strus  139.00
Rupen 106.00
           631.00
C&Lee  106.00
            737.00
May      50.00
           $787.00