cams_OAyers_b12_F006_002_002

commensement [commencement] We passed through the
surrended ruins of a most beautiful country
but desolation had laid its iron hand there
and fences houses, shaded avenues all had been swept
away to supply the wants and rapine of of contending
armeys [armies] we encamped one night near the
famous Fairfax Court house also passed within five
miles of the farm famed Bulls Run Our journey took
us through Leesburgh Leesburg, Virginia an notorious hole for sicessionest [secessionist]
and had the will of the soldiers been consulted it would
have been ere this purified by fire but the rank and file
are mooved [moved] as a machine and the will of the operator
is the law that governs its movements But I have no
time to moralize and but little to write anything
Today is a day of jeneral [general] inspection a day of hurry
a day of jeneral [general] dread to the soldier who must
wait his long hours in ranks that critical eye
of some upstart (perchance who is indebted for
his position not from act of his own but the favoritism
of some higher power) to wander over his person
and equipments Well the inspection is over
and we are ordered to keep ourselves in