Autograph Letter Signed, 3 pages, 8vo., Camp of the 5th N. H. Vols., Near Petersburg, Va., Sept. 10, 1864. George Hersum (wounded 9/17/62 Antietam, MD, Co "A" 5th New Hampshire Infantry) writes on U.S. Sanitary Commission stationery.

"... as long as I am well it is my duty to be with my Co. especially as I am the only officer with it at present. Capt. Twitchell is at home sick and Lieut. Crosby is discharged. We received about 230 substitutes the other day and they are about as green a set of men as I saw. I have got 31 of them in my Company & there is some of them that cannot speak or understand a word of English and it is very difficult to make them understand what is wanted of them...Since I wrote you last we have moved further to the left & moved about 3 miles and worked all one night & one day throwing up breastworks then they moved us back to within a mile of our old camp. We have got into camp and things look as if we would lay here some time but I cannot tell how long. ...G. L. Hersum..."

Pencil, otherwise fine.