July 26 1861 Alexander
dear father and mother
I was not kild in the fite at Bulls run we marched fifteen miles to fite and we was tired you beter be lieve as quick as [wee] went write into the fite with out stoping to wrest we fot fifty minits whare the canon wraked us and the infantry wraked us voly after voly [&] our regiment stood and did not flinch one inch they fired seven rounds after they was orderd off the field it was ahard fite you beter believe the enamy was conseled in the woods and they could see us but we could not see them our canon shot all of ther aninishon out and they we could not do nothing with them with out them they was up on [&] a high hill whare the sojers could not git up thare with out loosing half of our men we had to retreat to Alexandry our march to the batle and to Alexandry was made in thurty six ours sixty miles we was all tierd you beter believe the sheles burst over our heads the men was as cool as if they was shooting at a mark thare was not one that flinched one inch our Genrals and Cornels was afrade to go whare the men would our men cut up thee hundred of ther horse cavlry the emamy lost three men whare we lost one [Bagard] hade his horse shot out from under him we hade fore men taken prisners one was John Mury he come off the field of acion it makes the boyes feel bad to loos John for they liked him they are all fast to go up thare again they think that they did not have fare play for they wood not let us go to the charge you beter believe that the canon balls whised all around us thare is six balls holes in the flag thare was two of our coler gards kild and one wounded our regiment lost twelve or fifteen kild and thurty wounded and prisners our regiment has got a good name fore fiting so well we was the last regiment in the fite the mane thurd forth and fifth is in our brigade and the thre regiments poot together did not stay as long as we did Edwin is well and tuf write as quick as you get this let me now how you get along with your haying how the crops look I want you to write to Judeth and Susan for I do not have time to write much and no place to write I am writing on a bord on the ground I got a leter from Orson to day write if I do not write i canot think of any more direct your leters to the same plase that you did the other this is from your son
Orlando S Turner
