19th in a series.

There is a gap in Edwin’s biography from February to October of 1862; however, he wrote a letter to “Friend Mary” from his post at Camp Winfield Scott, near Yorktown, Va., dated April 4, 1862. The letter sheds light on the upcoming Battle/Siege of Yorktown, written the night before the engagement began.

Dear Friend Mary, Yours of the 27^th came to hand yesterday and found me well and enjoying myself the best I know how. I am still at the same camp I was when I wrote you last and everything is progressing as fast as possible, but Yorktown is not taken yet, but we are in hopes it soon will be. I suppose some of them Ohio hotheads up there such as the old man Flanners think that we are very slow here and don’t do a thing but if they was here they would find out their mistake for the thing is advancing as fast as possible.