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the road was impassable, & night
coming on, & was obliged to
turn back. A man of his Regt
just as I did this, came along
who knew him & I sent word that
I would drive out soon as
possible ^He said Capt Peck was not much hurt^—A Miss Safford, of
South Boston, wrote me about
her son—Tell her that he is
slightly wounded as I hear (a
feign shot off) & I will see
him soon—We shall prob-
-ably have more quiet from
fighting now for a time, &
the place where we are is
much more healthy than the
swamps of the Chickahominy
—large plantations & much secession
wealth [lies?] this shore of the river,
^Though^ now, all this beautiful coun-
-try is trampled ^into mud & dust^ by the army—
I have been digging wells by
the help of 30 or 40 men &