1864-06-29Near Petersburg, Va
Camp 45th Regt Pa Vet Vols

Near Petersburg, Va

June 29th/64

Dear Parents

This morning finds me trying to write a fiew lines for your perusual. I looked for a letter from you this morning but was disappointed but I presume there will be one for me before long. Our mail goes and comes very regular going and coming every day.

We are still lying in front of Petersburg, nothing of importance going on. We have not made any movement since I last wrote. The boys are all well except Solon. He is complaining as usual. His constitution is not sufficient to stand the hardships of this campaign. I saw Henry Foot yesterday. He was over to our quarters, is looking well. Dan Ruggles is in the Hospital sick. Delos Field in in that Regt and Zene Crowl. The boys think they are not in Harrisburg doing provo duty now but in Virginia where the bullets are flying full thick for comfort.

The progress of our movements here I do not know but I presume the development of them will show that the army is not idle. They are undermining several of the enemy's forts for the purpose of blowing them up. Two of them are nearly done. We have morters all along the line. Things begin to assume the appearance of a protracted siege. Vicksburg will not compare with this, by the time we get to Richmond it will cost many noble lives. It has already cost a great many, I persume over 50,000 but Genl Grant is not the man to give up without a thorough trial of the strength of the works. There are a great many getting sick. The water is very poor. There are not many of our boys sick yet and I hope there will not be any more of them taken down. This sickly season will begin in about two or three weeks. In my last letter I sent you a certificate from the 2nd Lieut. certifying that I am credited to Tioga Co. If that will not get the bond I do not know what will, but I think there will be no trouble in getting it now.

The weather is not very comfortable. It is very warm. There has been no rain for some three or four weeks to amount to anything. The roads are very dusty and disagreeable. I rec'd a letter from Ella a fiew days ago. The people were all well when she wrote. I would like to be up home to help you through with your work. I think it would be more pleasant than lying down here on Va. soil, but there is no rest for the Soldier untill the end of the war or a Rebel ball sends him home.

I do not know that I have any more to write that will interest you. Please excuse mistakes and the brevity of this and I will write soon. Tomorrow is muster day but I do not know when we will get our pay, I presume not till after this campaign is over. There are two installments of bounty due us now and five months pay due us. It will make a very good pile to send home but I must close hoping to hear from you soon. I wrote you about my papers not coming and to have the address changed to Washington, D.C. I hope it will come, It would help while away many dull hours. Yours Affectionately

J.D. Strait