The following letter was penciled by Sgt. Walter F. Jones of Co. L, 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery. According to roster of Battery veterans, Walter was living in Drakes Branch, some 25 miles south of Appomattox, in Charlotte county, Virginia, in 1889. Nothing more conclusive could be learned about him.

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McClellan’s Headquarters
Harrison’s Landing, Va.
Co. L, 1st Connecticut [Heavy] Artillery
July 18, 1862

Dear Mother,

I am sitting on my overcoat. I can see nothing but men and horses for as far as I can see. We got into camp last night. It began to rain and lightning and kept it up all night. The boys look pretty tough. They are well—the most of them. The weather is very hot here. The boys lost everything that they had up to the fight. We fired into a Rebel Battery yesterday on the James river. No one was hurt. We can see the rebels on th other side of the stream.

There is 120,000 men in sight of here. This morning Burnside’s fleet lays just down the river, just off Newport News working round on the other side of the Chickahominy. We are within ten miles of Richmond.

We had a first rate time getting here. I stayed in Baltimore one day and Fort Monroe the same. It is time for breakfast now.

P. S. We had beef stake and hard bread. I cannot write any more. Give my best respects to all the friends. From your son. Respectfully yours, — Walter Jones

Harrison’s Landing, Va.

The boys was paid last week so I shall have to wait till next pay day.