it should be so, we must implore the forgiveness of God for our sins,
and the continuance of His blessings. There is nothing but His almighty
power that can sustain us. God bless you all...."

Later, July 26th, he writes from Camp Culpeper:

"...After crossing the Potomac, finding that the Shenandoah was six
feet above the fording-stage, and, having waited for a week for it to
fall, so that I might cross into Loudoun, fearing that the enemy might
take advantage of our position and move upon Richmond, I determined
to ascend the Valley and cross into Culpeper. Two corps are here
with me. The third passed Thornton's Gap, and I hope will be in
striking distance to-morrow. The army has laboured hard, endured much,
and behaved nobly. It has accomplished all that could be reasonably
expected. It ought not to have been expected to perform
impossibilities, or to have fulfilled the anticipations of the
thoughtless and unreasonable."

On August 2d, from the same camp, he again writes to my mother:

"...I have heard of some doctor having reached Richmond, who had seen
our son at Fortress Monroe. He said that his wound is improving,
and that he himself was well and walking about on crutches. The
exchange of prisoners that had been going on has, for some cause,
been suspended, owing to some crotchet or other, but I hope will soon
be resumed, and that we shall have him back soon. The armies are in
such close proximity that frequent collisions are common along the
outposts. Yesterday the enemy laid down two or three pontoon bridges
across the Rappahannock and crossed his cavalry, with a big force of
his infantry. It looked at first as if it were the advance of his