This letter was written by William Hussen [or Hussong] who enlisted at the age of 19 on 23 January 1862 to serve three years in Co. F, 104th New York Infantry. William was the son of Christian Conrad Hussong (1809-1879) and Dorothea E. Linsner (1810-1890) of Granger, Allegany county, New York. He was wounded in Miller’s Cornfield on 17 September 1862 at Antietam and then mortally wounded in action on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg while fighting near the cemetery on Cemetery Ridge. He died on 4 July 1863 on the battlefield.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Virginia
May 11th, 1862

As we have moved, I thought I would sit down to let you know that I am still well and hope that you are the same. We have moved 12 miles beyond Manassas Junction about 50 miles from Washington. We had glorious sights on the road. We started from camp yesterday at noon and there was nothing to speak of until about one mile from Manassas Junction and then you could begin to see the rebel camp where they camped through the winter. And when we got a little further and we began to see their entrenchments and where their batteries was, but they destroyed everything as they went—railroad station and all. And they left their dead horses and everything else.

They have repaired the railroad for about 14 miles. It was night but the moon shone bright and we arrived at our camp about 12 o’clock in the night and we got off the cars and unpacked our blankets and laid down on the ground and took a good sleep.

This morning I was detailed to go out on picket about one mile from the camp where we have to keep our eyes skinned but nevertheless I don’t feel skart yet. I have forty rounds of cartridges in my box and plenty of caps. The more we move, the further we go, the better I like it. I have seen a great sight since I left home.

It is very nice weather here but houses are very scarce here. You can go 1 mile and see no house. But the houses are very nice and well got up. But enough of this.

As to pay. We could not get it. We was a going to get it in a few days but our marching orders we got about two hours. We got them at 9 o’clock and started at 12 o’clock and so the pay was put off but expect to get it before long.

I begin to like it every day better for I am broke into it. We may stay here a week and not one. We are to be ready at any moment’s call. There is no generals here but the scouting parties is what we look for. But my relief is a going out and so I must close for this time for I am on picket. All letters must be sent to Washington the same as before and then they are sent on to the regiment.

Give my love to all, to you and all my old comrades of Granger. Your friend truly, — William Husson