July 15th - All quiet along the lines, except continual sharpshooting and mortar shelling. Nobody hurt in the regiment. Early1 in Maryland and created a disturbance in Yankeedom. Awful hot and dusty in the ditches.
July 16th - Nothing unusual. Sharpshooting still going on. One man of Company D killed by sharpshooters, Wm. Ritchey. No one else hurt. Rumors are rife, but nothing reliable. See no prospects of relief, rations are scarce, and men all anxious for a change.
July 17th - React again the monotonous scenes of yesterday. Another man of Company D killed, Joe Armstrong. It is Sunday and contrary to their usual mode of acting, the Yankees are rather quiet, only threw a few mortar shells in the ditches.
July 18th - A mortar shell fell in the ditches this morning causing some tall skedaddling, but fortunately did not burst. Very anxious to hear form Early in Yankeedom. Cannot hear a word of news. Another man wounded in the regiment this morning. The Yankee keep balls continually flying over our heads and no man can expose his head a minute above the breastworks without being struck, and most probably killed. We have had no rain in two months, and the dust is stifling. Living on corn bread and bacon, with cow peas occasionally. Will not be apt to get anything better this summer. Here is General D.H. Hill2 just passing by inspecting the works, a stern old warrior in full uniform. Brigadiers and Colonels are as think as blackberries and hardly aroused attention, they are so common.
1 Jubal Early - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubal_Early(link is external)
2 Daniel Harvey Hill - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Harvey_Hill
