Page County Va 
July the 20th 1863 

Dear Wife 

I now resume my seat to write you a few lines to let you know I am still in the land of the living. I am 5 miles from Suray at a private house resting. I have been sick for some two weeks, I was sick while we was in meryland. I got permition from the Doctor to go to a hospitle though I did not go to the hospitle. I have been staying along the road at the best houses in plase of going to a hospitle. I have the skirvy in my mouth which is very painfull. I have suffered a great dele with my teeth for the last 2 weeks.

 I expect [ ] to leave here tomorrow and cross over to the vally about woodstock. Andy Dority, H.S. Fickle and Eli Stamper are with him. Stamper is wounded in the arm, the other two boys are sick. We have had hard times ever since we came to the vally but still harder while we was in pennsylvania. We was in Penn something the rise of three weeks, during that time we wasnot allowed to unsaddle our horses or sleep with our shoes off. We were riding day and night while we was in their and fighting nerly evry day more or less. Our brigade went up in two miles of the capital of Penn. We captured horses and cattle by the hundreds but was not allowed to keep them. They were turned over to the QM.

 We could get anything we wanted in the eating line while we was in yankeedom, lemmons, oranges, figs, resins nuts of various kinds, cheap as dirt too. Penn is the pretiest country I ever seen or ever expect to see. Mostly dutch, though. The Dutch never knew any-thing of the war until we invaded them and fought all round them and stoled their horses and cattle.

 We had but one big battle that was at Gettysburg, Penn. This was said to be the hardest fight that has been dur-ing the war and Great slaughter on both sides. The ground lay covered with the dead & wounded for miles. The fight commenced July the 1st and lasted 2nd, 3rd & 4th. Then each side commenced faling back the first day of the fight we whiped them badly the 2nd. They held their position and fought bravely on the night of the 2nd and they threw up forifycations and held them untill the last.

 Tell John Cloud that poor Sam was shot ded on the field with several others of his co. Jeff Jesser Jeff Howil and John A. Vermillion of the same co. fell to rise no more at that fight. We lost a sight of men certain, our General was wounded on the 2nd day of the fight, not badly though. His horse was shot in two under him by a bum and a piece of the shell struck him on the side of the head and nocked the wool up some. When we started to come out we had to fight evry day. The cavalry had to cover the retreat. We only got two of our boys badly hurt. Bill Barnett had his left arm broken between the elbo & rist & Billy Campbell poor fellow received a dangerous wound, I fear it will kill him. I cant see how he is to recover. The ball struck him in the left hip passing through & out at his privates leaving a dangerous wound. They are both at Winchester now at the hospitle with hundreds of others in the same fix. Our regt has suffered severely since we left the vally but we are now on this side of the Potomic. Once more I havent seen the Co. for some 2 weeks, they are on this side.

 Write to me as soon as you get this and let me know how you are geting along. Direct to Harrisonburg Va, Jenkins Brigade. 

I. V. Reynolds 

I could write more if my paper would hold it