Civil War Union Soldier Robert Hill Letter to Sister Catlett Station VA Oct 1863
Yours of the seventeenth has been received some days time and I received one from mother too on three days before yours and you must? Excuse me for not answering them sooner But the truth is since I heard of father's death I cannot think of anything to write but we must try and bear it as well as possible and hope when our time comes we may be found ready and there is another reason I have not written as of late that is that we have not had much time to do anything for we have been on the move nearly all the time for the last two or three weeks on the twenty?
Of the month our brigade was sent to the front and we was relieved by the second brigade this morning we was sent out to re? And if possible to draw the rebels out and we went on them a short distance of them and they sent their shells whistling over our heads But without doing any damage to our brigade our? Would fire with on them and then fall back But they took pretty good care not to come within musket shot of us they have got a considerable force at Bealton Station and when General Meade finds out he cannot draw them out this way he will drive them the other But I do not think there will be any very hard fighting for a few days we are just about ten miles from the front now but how long we will stay here I cannot say I do not think that our life is any safer here than in the front for we will not die before our time comes whenever we may all the difference is that the more excitement there is the time seems to? Away just so much faster and I think that it improves the health of us to have something to stur our nerves? A little for the health of the Regt never was better then at the present time.
This leaves me in good health and I hope these few lines will find all of you enjoying the same? You must not expect too many letters from me while we are on the march for it is not much time we get to write letters but you must write as often as you can give my love to all enquiring friends and keep a good share for yourself good bye for the present from your loving brother.