Joseph Waln Wistar letter dated July 9, 1863

              Head Q[uarte]rs 8th Penn[sylvani]a Cav[alry].

Boonsboro Md[.] July 9th 1863

Dear Lilly

Your letter of June 26th came to hand by some unaccountable means this morning and I was sorry to see how desponding you were though to tell the truth I did not wonder at it. Though Penn[sylvani]a had done badly in turning out militia for her own defence [sic], yet she has sent more than thirty thousand over her quota to the seat of war.

Penn[sylvani]a troops in the field have done well where ever they fought and the flag of the old Keystone State has waved triumphantly over many a hard fought field, consecrated by the blood of her sons, and may God give their ashes rest, their spirits joy. The inference is that the men have all gone, and only the laggards are left, too cowardly to raise an arm to defend their country's flag, their own wifes [sic], mothers, sisters and friends from the invading foe. May their own swords turn on them should they ever dare to appeal to arms to aid them in their future difficulties, and may they be branded even worse than Cain in the eyes of their countrymen. I am proud to belong to Penn[sylvani]a and that the "Army of the Potomac" though badly beaten on many fields yet never dismayed was there to welcome the Army of Lee with bloody hands to hospitable graves. Nor are we done with them yet. This evening just at nightfall heavy artillery fighting was heard and tomorrow we look for the battle to commence that will annihilate the rebel army of Virginia. We will follow them again into Virginia and like destroying angels enter their Capitol with them[,] leaving our path a barren wilderness. I for one would visit the land with fire and sword and keep it desolate as long as the war lasts.

Our army is in splendid spirits, flushed with successes, stung with the disgrace of allowing them to have gone so far as they did, and thirsting for vengeance for the blood of our noble dead.