To Mary From Milroy June 21 1863

              Bloody Run Bedford County, Pa.
 
June 21st, 1863
 
My Dear Mary,

 
		I wrote you some days ago  
when on the eve of starting to Harpers Ferry from  
Baltimore.  I did not succeed in reaching  
Harpers Ferry, the rebs. having got between me  
& the Ferry & I narrowly escaped running into  
them.  I ordered my train back to Baltimore  
& having learned that a large part of my 
 
         
command ^ (inserted text: that got separated from me in the desperate fight on Monday) were coming into Pa. through  
this region.  I took cars at Baltimore for  
Harrisburg stoped there a day to obtain more  
definite information of my men & get horses, got  
acquainted with Gov. Curtin, Gen. Couch, &  
thousands of citizens & was serenaded & c. very much  
to my annoyance.  Came on with my staff to Huntington  
found a number of my men there.  Met your cousin Mrs.  
Armitage the widow of John Armitage with whom  
you stopped & many other of your relatives, but had no time  
to stop with them) took cars to come on down here  
where I found about 2500 of my weary worn out boys. 
They all thought I had been killed & when they saw  
me they started & yelled & were almost crazy with  
joy as they crowded around to shake hands with me. 
Nearly all the infantry had their feet badly blistered.  In  
some cases their boots & shoes which they had not had  
off for a week were filled with blood & matter. 
I am resting them & getting them equipped & straightened  
up.  It will require some days to do this.  The Rebs. are said  
to be in great force in Hagerstown, Md. & at Flintstown  
some 30 miles south of this.  The Militia of Pa.  
are out everywhere in some force.  Some 2,000 in this