Cumberland County NcArchives Photo Document.....Joseph Breece Letter 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Barbara Roesch bjresh@sbcglobal.net April 4, 2008, 6:25 pm

Source:             Personal
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Petersburg,  Aug 7 or 11, 1864

Dear Wife and Children:

I seat my self to write you a fiew lines to let you no that I am well and 
hearty and hope these few lines reach and find you well.  Their is no news we 
are in the trenches and the weather is verry warm and dry.  Thought it was 
going to rain last night but it did not.  I have not heard anything from James 
Jim Taylor got a letter from Capt. Sloon (Sloan) and he gave the names of 
forty two of the men that belong to Co "I" 51st.H   In fact that is all that 
was mifsing

(?missing probably infers the name of James was missing on a list of survivors 
in the Sloan letter written to Jim Taylor.) 

I got Taylor (James D Taylor, an officer)  to inquire if he had seen him but 
the fact is I'm afraid we'll never hear anything from him 

Their is any quantity of yankeys about around Petersburg They are about 1 1/2 
miles from the city and rifle pits and the yankeys is about 75 yds as of one 
another we have to be on duty every night.  One night work half the night the 
next night stay in rifle pits and keep awake all the night and the next night 
keep awake on the battery one third of the night  . . . . . Luther has just 
received a letter from John Deal stating that theyr was 13 of them amongst the 
names was Jameses.   I was verry glad to hear he was living and well.  Our 
rations is small but we can make out I will rite once a week if no accident 
and I want you to rite as I feel anxious to  hear from you all and to no how 
the corn looks and if the pigs is aliving and if they have sowed the turnipseed

They say that the Yankies is tunneling to blow some portions of our lines

(turn letter over)

I did not finish my letter in time to get it off this morning so I will finish 
this evening.  Give Johnie Eliza Rebecca and mother John and all inquiring 
friends I hope that you may get along well and get your wagon fixed  Tell Fred 
to be smart I have no chance to send you any tobacco but I will send you some 
money as soon as I get some.  I think we will get some in the course of three 
weeks.  Our company went out to wash on Friday I then looked good  for my 
knapsack but they had been torn opened and robed of every thing that is worth 
having but if I had any thing I have no place to keep any thing in the 
trenches in the first place to keep any thing if it rains everything will get 
wet and in the rifle pits it is as muddy as a hog hole when it rains some day 
before long I think we will have bad time but I hope the Lord will be merciful 
to us and spare me  if it is his will I want you to try and subdue your temper 
and give your heart to God and pray to him to forgive you of your sins somehow 
I feel satisfied that it will be the will of God let things go as they will we 
must trust in him may God have mercy on you and protect you and save you in 
his Kingdom  farewell I have Just finished the things I Brought in my Box I 
will now have to Bug Write soon, Jo Breece


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