to brother and sister

The author writes that he expects to leave Winchester on the following Friday to go to 70 or 80 miles South to Gordonsville. He reports that there are currently only nine companies of his regiment still in Winchester, as six of the companies left for Strasburg on April 21st. He further explains that Union men are still in pursuit of [Stonewall] Jackson, who has retreated towards Staunton. His company plans to meet a Brigade at Gordonsville to reinforce General Shields' Division before entering Staunton. He reports that "Jef Davis," in command at Yorktown, has been completely surrounded by "Gen McClelan," but he is not sure whether Union men will be able to keep him there. He says that General McClellan has 150,000 men in command at Yorktown and that "the Rebles are in the hardest ro of stirrups that ever they were in va." He predicts that the hard fights will be in Virginia, and says that, "you need not Bee surprised if sesesion haint played out till the 1 of June completely in va." His men brought 68 of Ashby's [7th Virginia] Cavalry into town, who were sent to Baltimore. He describes coming across many "Negros" and reports that, "whe take them up."