Letter 5 — March the 12, 1863

Dear mother I receved your letter and was glad to heare that you was well we are all well at present I have not much to wright this time we was on a scout last weak we started at twelve oclock last wensday neight when we was formed in to a line the curnel sed boys the prospick for a fight looks more faverbal than it has yet and if there is eny in the wranks that is too big a courd to fught to step yout but there wose not wone stepet yout so we started but we did not now where we wos a going tho we started twordes strasburg so we went on and at dayleight fond our self at strausburg about twenty miles from Winchester but when we got there the rebels had left there and had gon a bout fore miles from town and we hid be hind a hill and sent the cavelrey on a head to see where they were so they drove in there pickets and fond that they were in a gap in the montanes and we cod not drive them out for they had too meney for us and the cavelry tried to get them out so we wood have a fer chance at them but they wod not come out and we had not force a nuff to drive them out and we had to go back and leve them so we started back in a bout thre oclock in the after noon so we got a long very well til we got with in a bout ten miles of home and then the boys be gan to fall back to com plane a bout there feet a geting sore and when we got back to camp the boys were all give out there were no chance for wone to make fun of the wrest I wase the first of our company to the fort and I wase nerder give out then I ever wose before so you may now how the wrest felt I got to the fort about ten oclock thursday neight we marched forty fore miles some of the boys did get in until the next day Tel Emanuel to get cate curd and I wil paye him what it cost as done as I get my pay we have bin looking fore the pay master for a bout too munth but we have not sene him yet wel I must close so nomore at present wright soon

George Overpack