Transcript:
                                                                                                            Wolf Run Shoals Va., May 29, 63 Charlie, 
            What are you up to?  Why don’t you write a fellow?  Are you so very much interested about the Draft that you can’t write?  Or has the burden of IJI’s Store, now that he is Select Man, come upon your broad shoulders and you obliged to do every thing as usual?  Well how are you and all the rest of the folks?  I hear Davi has got home for good.  How is that, and if so, what for?  We are out here in this hard looking and man forsaken country still nothing but Reb women here.  We get now and then a Reb “cotch’em.”  Yesterday I went with one of our Captains down the R.R. to Bealton, via Manassa’s, Warrenton Junction, Bistow, Cattlet’s Station.  WE went on a govt. forage train.  Today the same train was taken by the Rebs and burned.  We had a guard of 20 men who all skidadled at the sight of 25 Rebs.  The line of the R.R. is pretended to be guarded by Cavalry, but the Rebs took up the track and fixed it so the train could run by and then they pulled off the track, kept the train then and then destroyed it.  We were a day too early for that raid.  Out there the country is quite level and cleared up, and once there were quite a lot of houses.  Manassa’s Junction is not a bit such a place as I expected.  I was looking for a place strongly fortified by nature, high bluffs, and rocks etc.  when the Reds had batteries.  It is on elevated land. i.e. the land descends every way from it.  The Rebs built lots and strong fortification, and with lots of troops, it was hard to take.  All along the road on both sides you can see the remains of cars and goods furnished the army.  These were destroyed on Pope’s retreat.  When Dave lost so much flesh.  As we rode along through Manassa’s on board was a man who was just coming back from Richmond.  He found his house destroyed.  There is not a house at the Station all are burnt and grass growing over the place.  It was quite a place I should think by the ruins lying “loose around.”  The Rebs had lots of men garrisoned then, and there might be a fight there yet.  We may get into the Brush ourselves.  The Rebs don’t like our Regt. Because they are on the alert so much they say.  At this point we have a battery, 1 Regt. of Infantry and 2 companies of Cavalry.  These Cavalry scout the country for miles around for Rebs.  2 days ago they got a spy they guy horse, everything which they can carry off, money, watches, jewelry, and everything they think will ever be worth anything.  They burn all and every house they see fit.  And I fear they are not as respectful to the women as they might be.  They got night and day, its 10 o’clock and they just passed my tent going out to catch these bushwhackers.  They go right in and take others out of bed.  I tell you it’s hard but what must be done to make these “roughs” half way decent.  Come down here and ill take you out and let you see the ladies of the land and the “Gray backed gentry.”  Rebs are always “Graybacks.”  Oh, they are lovely individuals!  One came in the other day with linen coat and pants and fur cap on.  The day was awful hot, and by the way we’re getting a little hot weather just now I noticed!  What’s the news?  Now you just sit down, take stationery and send me the whole news.  Have you been up to see that “new boy” of town?  I wish you would just call and see him and report his case to me at once.  Strange what things will happen in my absence!!!  I am coming home soon to attend to such cases and put a stop to such proceedings.  How’s business this season?  Money is plenty and people are always willing to buy when they have money. 
        Now do you write.  Don’t stop for ceremony and any more than one Soldier does for another.  We’ve pretty much got the Rebellion put down.  Give my regards to grandmother, your mother, Pauline and all inquiring friends. 
                                                                                                                        Yours,   L.D. Ross