Camp at Warrenton Junction

Friday April 29th 1864

[LAST LETTER]

Is well, has been on picket all day and it’s now 9 PM. Ordered to move at 8 AM. They say the mail has been stopped. “Burnside is marching on to the front with about 40 thousand men & amongst them is they say about 10 thousand negro troops”. Those troops are left along the road to guard the other troops. Relieving the 5^th Corp. Encamped all around them. “I have not seen any of the Black Sogers [sic] yet so I cannot give you a discription [sic] of them”. Burnside Corps looks hard and warn out, begging for hard tack. Have marched from Annapolis MD without much to eat. The men who were examined for the Navy were supposed to leave the regiment this morning but for some unknown reason they did not go. “I was in hopes that I might go but I am afraid I cant for it seems my papers did not come”.

“Dear Clara I am afraid before you hear from me again there will be a hard battle fought with the [sic- missing Army] of the Potomac but wherever I may be placed I shall try to do my duty as well as I can. I hope the lord will spare us to meet again on earth. Take good care of yourself & our little ones give my love to all of my Folks & may heaven protect us all evermore, God be ever with us, From your Affectionate husband, With love, Sergt P.L. Dumont.”