Dear Father and Mother:

I received your kind letter last night and was glad indeed to hear from you and to hear you was all well as these few lines leave me and all of the boys in the best of health and spirits.

Father, we are now 10 miles from the Penna. State line. We came from the muddy soil of Virginia. We crossed in Maryland 24th at Edward's ferry above Harpers. We are at South Mountain we are following up old Lee and driving him towards the North. I suppose you have force enough to stop him at Harrisburgh for he never can go through this Army of the Potomac.

We have our whole army here, about 80,000 troops, and if he goes either way you will see him that way for we are bound to get him. Mother you was saying you would like to have me home for the fourth of July. Yes I would like to be there too but we have to do this army up now. Oh we live good here among the Rich old farmers of Maryland. Everything we want to eat we can have. We can't write much more for we are going on to Harrisburgh. I think we will spend the fourth in Penna.

They say our corps is not going to go back in Virginia any more. We are going to stay around Maryland. The most of our boys think our Regt. will be home after this present trouble over for nine months. Man, won't we have a lovely old time.

Father, you wanted to know if we would be payed off before the 4th. I don't think we will. We ought to be paid the first of July but it always runs two weeks after before the PayMaster comes around. We will have 52 dollars, 4 months pay, up to the first of July. You can send me a little money if you please for the 4th of July.

Oh my boots are pretty good yet and I won't need any now. Please send me 10 postage stamps Jack.

Well mother you must keep up good courage for I stopped in a house in Middletown and she gave me some milk and good bread and butter. It made me think of Mamy's old cellar.

We have orders to march and I will have to stop. We are going towards home. We see plenty of pretty girls and they are all for the Union and they keep coming in our camp and talk with us. It seems like Camp Luzerne to see the girls. They have their flags all out and in every town we pass and great cheering some more.

Please ans. soon. From your son G.H. Megines To his Dear Mother and Father.

Hurrah for Pennsylvania forever. We will fight for it forever. I am a corporal now . I have a big promotion. Won't I shine with my two cents stripes on.

Jake and Joel are well."

A letter my great great great uncle wrote to his family before his death July 1st 1863 at Gettysburg. George H. Megines was a corporal in Company C. of the 143rd Pa. Vol.