.ODY4.MjExMA

When arrived at the grave the proceedings are about the same as in civil life. Co. D. has been going home by platoon lately being discharged because they were not able to stand the service. On an average we have thirty-five men able [words missing] duty. July 12th this reg. went [south?] [words missing] here fifteen miles on a scout, or rat [words missing] started on the 12th about four o clock [words missing] That evening we went out about te [words missing] then turned off on an old track and [words missing] down hill another mile crosed a [small?] [words missing] tunnel into a small field and laid d [words missing] the ground for the night meen time holding our horses by the haltars of course a sufficient number was detailed for pickets. I never saw such hill thrown around a little stream as there was there. I thought we were comeing upon a roaring rushing foaming mountain torent but instead there was a poor puny stream that hardly made a run of it. When I looked at the hills and then at the stream it looked very much like like employing a five dollar beaver hat to protect three cts. worth of brains. Either one or the [other?] [words missing] a waste of raw material. If these hi [words missing] been judiciously used they would have [words missing] states as large as Rhode Island