Camp in New York city August the 24th A D 1863

Camp in New York city August the 24th A D 1863

My dear Aunt andUncleafter a long silence I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am still well and I hope that this letter may find you all enjoying good health. the last letter that I wrote to you was as near as I can remember about the middle of June we had a fight at Martinsburg soon afterward and I never recieved an answer to my letter. I suppose you have heard the particulars of the Martinsburg fight therefore I will not say much about it now except that 30,000 rebels attacked 1,500 of us and of course we could not hold out long against so many of the enemy and the consequence was that we had to retreat to Harpers Ferry but before we did retreat the enemy threw about 200 shells at us which came screaming over our heads some bursting and scattering the pieces all around others would strike the ground and scatter the earth in every direction, we have been moving almost constantly since we left Martinsburg but I have no time nor space to tell you the half that I would like to suffice it to say that we have had very hard marching and another fight at Manasses gap we arrived at this city on the 22d of this month on the steam ship Merrimac. We are here for the pupose of enforcing the draft. but I hope that there will be no disurbance I have got but very few letters for a long time and this I dont like for I am never well satisfied unless I can get to hear from my Dear relatives very often, but I think we will stayhere sometime and if we do we can get our mail regularily We have a nice camp here. The health of our regiment is tolerable good at present. I will soon have to bring this letter to an end but before I do let me tell you Dear Uncle an Aunt that I want you all to write to me often for nothing gives me so much pleasure as to recieve letters from my friends at home direct your letters to New York city Co. D 126th Rgt O. V. I. in care of capt Martin no more now but I will ever remain your affectionate Nephew David Close to George and Rachel DunbarNew York cityMr. David Close