Funkstown, Maryland July 11, 1863

Dear Parents:

Having some leisure time this morning, I think of penciling a few words to you. We are Just now on a clean bit of woods near Funkstown, which place you will not likely find on any map. They have been quite good to us for a day or two. Yesterday we did not have to march more than 6 miles and that left us here but a short distance from one of the best springs you ever saw, clear, cool and sweet, one that runs more water than four of those famous ones back of Uncle Sawtelle's old place. In order to give you an idea of where we are as near as I can, I will say that we are 3 or 4 miles from Bonnesboro, about 10 from Hagerstown, and can't be much more than that from Williamsport. We have had some hard marching to do but we have borne it thus far and now let them do as much as they can and they cannot make it last forever.

We have got our mail at last and out of the lot, I had 2 letters and three papers from home. You mention there was to be no celebration nearer than Rutland, but I should think that throughout the country there was quite celebration enough for one 4th of July. What with the capture of Vicksburg and the tremendous defeat of Lee at Gettysburg on the 3d, I should think we had quite a 4th-the awfulest 4th of July that I ever went to, and one that nobody would be particularly anxious to attend again. We have found where Alfred Moore is. He is in one of the hospitals slightly wounded. We do not now look so fat nor so clean as we used to. This campaign has taken off all the spare flesh we had, and as for cleanliness-well we keep as clean as we can, but look very much tougher than we used to and as to our guns, if they will only shoot, that is all that is wanted.

Don't you think Henry is going into business rather extensively to buy out Mr. Rice? How do you think he will come out of it, or what was his idea in buying? He can't mean to get married, surely, as you intimate.

You are of course aware that the 12th did not get into Washington the 27th, but had to stay here till the 4th. The 13th left day before yesterday playing "Away, away, I can't stay any longer." They all felt first rate and who blames them. If we were in Virginia now we might want for water or get only that that was unfit to use, but here every farm house has a spring or wooden pump and where troops are passing one can see about sixteen soldiers on every pump handle getting good cool water- not ice cold like some of your Vermont wells and springs, but plenty cold enough and as pure as water can be.

Western Maryland is just the finest country you ever set pour eyes on. I don't blame the Rebs for crying "My Maryland" or fighting for it either. The wheat is now up and is being harvested and the broad wheat fields extending in places as far as the eye can reach look is though they might gladden the eye of the owner. But war is injuring the beauty of things here as well as else, where, though not to so great a degree as in Virginia. Still it don't improve a wheat field any to have an army march through it or to have the fences thrown down for artillery to pass, but I don't see but that the Marylanders stand it as well as Pennsylvanian's did. We came by the Tenth Vermont regiment on our way out here. I did not see any of the boys that I knew except Willie Chapin and Lt. Perham, but inquired after the rest of course. I believe they are all well,- at least all that you know anything about. I believe I see a chance to send this. H.G. Day

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Contributed by Linda M. Welch, Dartmouth College, Windsor County researcher.

Return to the Index of Hezron's letters..

See also Hezron's biography, and his memoir of the Gettysburg Campaign.