Letter from Rufus Dawes to Mary Dawes, July 2 1864

Before Petersburg, VA.

July 2^nd, 1864

We are again out of those hot trenches and back in the woods.  If the army remains here, in six days we will go out again for a tour of duty in the trenches.  There is not so much shooting now, although every few moments a huge mortar shell fired by the rebels, comes straight down from the clouds and bursts with a terrific explosion in our lines.  The weather is very hot, but I get ice every day and plenty of it.  There is an ice house on our skirmish line.  I have some boys who have the nerve to go out and get the ice at night, in spite of the fact that rebel sharpshooters keep a constant fire on the ice house.  There is one good thing, corps headquarters can’t put a guard over it and gobble it away from us, and appropriate it to their own use.  William wants very much to come home with me.