Letter written by my ggreat uncle, Jacob Mercer:
(Camp near Petersburg, Va. June 19th, 1864)
Dear brother, I take my pen in hand to inform you I received yours of the 12th this evening. Was glad to hear from you. I am well. Truly hope this may find you enjoying good health..You said you had not got a letter from me for some time. I have written two letters to you..You stated Elias had been in two fights and come out safe. We have been in one for the last forty five days and nights. I am still safe. We are now within five hundred yards of the rebs works. We are also in works. We still keep up continual firing both day and night. We are within one mile of Petersburg, Va. and old Bob Lee is in the town....Our men have taken eight or nine forts from the rebs. Three lines of works. Very heavy works...
I shall now tell you the loss of our company. Since May 3rd we have lost 32 killed and wounded. 9 of our company taken prisoner. Which makes 41 out of 60. The regiment has lost over two hundred killed and wounded since May 3rd....Tell Henry Metz's father and mother that he is either killed or taken prisoner on the 16th. It was after night when we was charging. Some of the boys we know was taken. It is supposed Henry was taken. Reuben A. Martin was wounded yesterday in the arm while lighting his pipe.
I shall soon have to close.. Hoping to hear from you soon. Tell father and mother I am well. I will write as often as I can. You do the same. Have that land run off soon as you can, if you haven't got it done. Give the title bond up to my wife. Let her keep it..This from your brother Jacob Mercer to William Mercer.
[Written down the side of the letter is this postscript]
Dear brother, since I wrote this letter I have been wounded in the right arm. My arm is broken. I think I will get along all right. Hope so, at least.I wrote this yesterday evening. This morning the 20th I am wounded and gone to the hospital. I don't know where I will be when I write again....
Written by Sgt. J. R. Goodwin after Jake was taken to the hospital....
Note...Jacob Mercer did not get along alright. He died from his wounds on Aug 11, 1864 at Campbell Hospital, Washington D.C. He is interred at Arlington Cemetary, Va., in section 13, grave 7446.
