Centreville Va. June 21st 1863.

Miss D. Weston!

I take the pleasure to make the following account to you & Mr. Weston what I have observed of the ??? of war-fare here at Centreville during the last week part --.

On last Sunday dirt was seen in the direction over the Bull-run Mountains coming near and near by degrees -- in the first place we did not know what to make of it -- but soon we heard that the Eleven Corps was coming in -- and so it was -- about five o Clock General Howard commanding the Corps arrived at the town escorted by a company of Cavalry and his Staff. Stopping at Gen. Abercombie's Head Quarters about one hour -- when then he went back to his Corps laying four miles of in the read ---.

I was very busy with my spyglass to see all as much as I could -- but I found that they were not coming in the night. -- So I was enjoying myselves with the rest of the evening about their signals with the flags. ---

The next morning early, the echos and sounds of musik, drums and buglers approaching towards us. -- Carl Shutz [Schurz] Division had the lead, so on they followed -- brigade by brigade -- and division by division. Their flags were pierced through & through. --- Sure of some was but a little left. ---

The regiments were very small -- some Regt. did not exceed 190 men. They went in camp around us and pitched the tents. --- In the afternoon the First Corps arrived and pitched also their tents. It was the chance for one to go to the 12th Mass. Regt. to see some of the Weymouth boys -- but found only one and that was Sam Goodwin. ----

Wednesday morning at two o Clock the Bugler called the soldiers from their nights rest to prepare for the days march. -- I was put on guard from 12 o Clock till 6 in the morning whereby I had a good company to see what was going on. Several tow??? camp fires were around me the men were all busy engaged to make their coffee for breakfast sitting around the fires gay and joyfull like great warriors.

At daylight they began to march the Eleven Corps at advance -- their baggage train was about five miles long -- their destination was Snickers Gap. The 1st Corps were following in the same direction. It was a very fine morning, but about noon it got very windy what make it so dusty -- that sometime a man could not see farder [further] then twelve yards. Cavalry and baggage trains were moving all day following the troopers, in the evening the third Corps got in sight and pitched their tents here in our ?even ground -- but the next morning they moved farder down and the 11th Mass Regt. was in camp near ours. I went then to them to see if I could find Henry [V.] Cowen and other Weymouth fellows -- but they informed one that Henry Cowen had been going home on a furlough. They said that some more of Weymouth boys were in the Regt. -- Cushing -- Truphant [Edward F.] -- Gul??? etc. they were all out of camp. -- I had not much time that I could wait long -- so I went to our quarters again. -- That whole Corps left us on Friday afternoon following the other Corps in the same direction. Friday evening the 2nd Corps arrived here about six o Clock.

There is some Mass Regts with them -- I saw a good many of the 20th Regt. -- This Corps the 2 looked first right the best which came through here yet. -- There is a fine Zouave Regt. from Pennsylvania, all stand tall and strong with a splendid uniform. It is a beautiful place here now at Centreville in the evening. It looks as if there is a large city seeing the tents all lit up. The men walking from one camp to another. This old trooper give most anything for some thing to eat. A men offered me one dollar for a loaf of bread, my days ration -- but I gave it [to] him for nothing -- eating my hard bread which I had left from my old rations. --

The suttlers making a great deal [of] money. Our suttler sells his goods reasonable -- he has two teams steady on the road from Washington. -- He sold during the last fortnight every day for 800 $ --. He arrived yesterday afternoon with three loads of goods. The boys from the 2nd Corps flocking around his store tent like lions after sheeps to swallow them. -- Towsend & Towsend surrounded him demanding something to eat. Of course money was plenty but they could not be satisfied so many at once. -- So they began to talk in a bad style. All out boys of the Battery have great interest to our suttler. -- So our Officer on account of his honesty & accommodating to us all. -- Our Captain saw that the suttler was in danger seeing some of the fellows cutting the strings of from the tent -- so therefore he call[ed] every man of ??? who was there to fall [in]. Of course I was one of them to obey an order and was on the right. Sabers were distributed - the Capt then gave the command right face - march. He ahead Sergt. Baker after him then came I so the rest followed - March - fall back boys fall back hurah hurah fall back all of you. What you are about - Hell and Nation. We cut your heads off if you don't mind. -- Well they did fall back but we had hard work to keep them back - for they sent for some reinforcements and they did come in by ??? -- by jolly on the side ??? on was the severest. I had the 69th N. York before me an old fighting Regt. -- In front Lieut. Whitaker had warm work. They ??? to get his sword away from him -- but he drew his revolver and would have shot the men if he had not giving the sword right back again. -- This blood was running all over his hand, but he stood firm and brave. By this time the ??? soldiers on my side were yelling like Rebels and had cut the strings all down and had me most covered up with barrels. But I cut around me and fought like a tiger. My sword showed blood, but I got out uninjured.

Gen. Hays our Brigadier came up, his horse jumped right in the biggest ??? - and made a hole. He drew his revolver -- and swore you god dam rascals run - run or I shoot you down - his staff done the same. -- One fellow had got his head split open. We then run down to get two of our pieces up -- and planted them in the position on the hill around the suttler tent. Gen Hays told us to put a double charge of canister in - but by this time that M??? crowd was out of range -- and away to their camp. The Garibaldi Guard came up, and drove the rest stragglers of[f] and building a picket line so as to keep back every body what did belong to the 2 Corps. This finished the Battle at Centreville on Saturday morning. Our suttler did not lose anything for the Gens in command of this 2 Corps sent for the bill of damage and paid it right down.

The whole Corps got then ordered to leave and so they marched of[f] and pitched their tents 3 miles of[f] at the Bull-run Battle ground where they could not find any suttler. -- Now this was quite an equ??ment. I think that no man got to the suttler intended to steal anything but they had no patience to wait -- and so one provoked another till they undertook it to clean him out -- but this would not do for us, while he was our suttler and whom we like, like a comrade to us therefor we do protect him and will do it when ever he is in danger.

The 6th Corps is near Centreville. One division of it came in last evening. -- They all got ready for a fight but we do not know yet where it will come of. We had a Cavalry fight last Wednesday at Aldie. We heard the firing in the afternoon. About 100 men of prisoners were brought in. Some wounding they were sent to Washington. - The opinion of us all here is that we shall have a battle very soon at the old Bullrun Battle ground again which may be this coming week or soon. -- Infantry from here are detailed to go down. Some say to fill trees & brush work on the road and some say to repair a bridge over the Bullrun River.

While I am writing heavy firing is going on about 6-10 miles in front of us. I shall close this letter with my kind regard to Mrs. Weston and to all my friends. When I have time I shall write to Almira this afternoon. -- Where I shall give some more information about the fight and how it is getting along.

Please read this or let Almira read this letter for she has not heard of me last week. My hand is better again and am ready to go in to do my duty to fight for Liberty for which I came out for. Hoping to get a good letter soon to hear that my little Anna is restored in good health.

Remain I your respectfuly
Augustus Hesse