Camp Near Whites Mill Virginia
Sept 20th 1863
Dear Cousin
I take the Priviliges this morning to drope you a few lines to let you know I am well & getting a long as well as could be expected I have nothing new to write that will interest you we are expecting a fight near every day our Regt had a little skirmish with the yankees Wednesday we were at the heade at Whites Mill on the RhapaDan river 2 men killed in the Regt one of the coler guarde that was with me got wounded 15 men escaped over the River whilst a bout 200 yankees from those brest works got thare canteens & Harvey sacks & rifle clothes & som fin yuns & took 4 Prisners If we had a had som Calviltry thare we could a captured nearly all of them the 57 is on Picket to day I expect that our Regt will have to go on Picket to night I expect will have a big of it yet before it ends yet I was sorrow to hear the death of our Ordley Sargent Van Simpson he made the best ord1ey Sergt we ever had all the company like him they we all sorrow to hear of his death and grate consilotion to me he was willing to die I was glad to hear that he was prepared to meete his God his Request was for we all to do better & try to meete him in Heven we had a very good Meeting going on in our Brigade before this fite broke out six Profest Religion a night or too before we left we had som 25 or 30 morners ever night I exspect it would a bin a grate meeting if we had a remain in camp Capt White & Sergt Tate & five recruits cam this morning I expected to get a letter from Rebca but I did not all the boys is well & enjoying them selves very well I must close by asking you to write soon & give me all the news that is afloote so nothing more is Present I remain as ever your true Cousin
till Death
G. S. Holt
[Granville Simpson Holt was wounded and captured at Rappahonnock Station, Virginia, on 7 November 1863. He died of those wounds two days later in Washington, DC.]