Home, Well hear we are expecting

Camp 106th Regt  N.Y.V.
In the field
Monday July 13th  1863
Home,
Well hear we are expecting a battle evry moment[.] we were maneuvering as a reserve all day yesterday.  We have hear in Maryland now some whare in the neighborhood of 170,000 thousand men while lee [Lee] brought in 100,000 of which he has lost some 30,000 in killed wounded and prisenors[.] of Lees movements we know nothing of onely what we sermise[.] it was reported that he was crossing the river and now it is reported that all his means of his crossing are cut off and all we have to do is to wait potiently for him to surrender or come out and try and cut his way out fer he cannot have taken provision[s] enoughf to keep his army a great while, and it is supposed hear that all his means of getting supplies from Virginia are cut off[.] he may though get them with out our knowing it but I do not think it.  What I have seen of the army of late appears to be in good spirits and evry things tends to good success.  I have seen 100,000 men within the last week. I wrote you from Washington that I was detailed as briggade teemsters and so I was, and had a teem [team] and drove it two days, and then the brigade moved and we turned over our teems at washington and went to Frederick to get new ones and when we got thare they had none for us and we were order[ed] to report to our regiment, and when we got to our regiment it was at south mountain pass.  We are now some whare between Hagerstown and boonsborough[.] it is some whare near springs and that is as near as I can tell you whare we are, perhaps you cannot keep track of our regiment for we do not go by regiments now[.] it is by corps and brigade. We are in the 3rd brigade[,] 3rd devision and 3 army corps[.] if you can keep track of the 3 army corps you may know some things of us.  Co. B. of our regiment was out yesterday scirmishing with the rebs and he says that the rebs are out onely two miles from us and Sickles is out behind them and that he will drive them some whare, so it is reported among the men and thare is not the least dout [doubt] but thare will be a large battle fought within the next three days and god onely knows who will come out of it a live [alive] but I trust in god and hope fer the best[.]  I am no better than others[,] I may be killed and others live or I may live while others are killed but if I am killed do not let it shock you to [too] much[.] it may be all fer the best.  When I was in washington I was almos[t] all over the city[.] I saw the white house and the capetol [Capital] also neumerous other sightes but Frederick was the buisiest little place I ever was in[.] I was thare all day and it was compleatly crowded with soldiers on their way to the battle field or following up the retreating few[.] I saw whare those spies were hung[.] the spie [spy] Richardson was the man that got up those company records, of which I sent you one.  I saw Frank Jerome one day last week and a good many more of my acquaintances in the 93rd regiment but had onely a few moments to talk with him[.] my health is good and I am eager for this battle to commence so as to see how it is coming out, and so is evry man in this command[.] it is the intention to give Lee a good sound whiping hear now so that he will neve[r] want to come into Maryland again.  One of the boys that has been out to the 60 Regt which is a bout one mile in advance of us, says that our advance is moveing on this morning to attract the rebs.  Yesterday was a very hot sultry day and about 4 oclock thare was about as good a shour [shower] as you generaly see and it is a little lowery[.] hear this morning and very foggy.  They are doing their hervesting [harvesting] heer now[.] on evry side of us is large fields of wheat shocked up and the soldiers are tearing it down fer beds at night[.] yesterday we marched through one field nearly a mile through it, we have destroyed over one hundred acres of wheat with in the last three days[.]
            I have writen to you evry chance I have had[.] how many letters you have got I know nothing of[.] I have not heard from anyone at home now since the last of May[.] it has been 5 weeks since I heard from you.  When I was at washington I wrote three letters and I sent you $10 and emma $50.00
                        D.W.Sunderland
            The [?] is gathering the mail and I must close[.] you need not write yet fer I cannot get any letters.