1862 September 5 from Francis Rupert (Washington) to Mother re: gives reason that he did not write since July was that there was no mail service from the Army but got a letter from her yesterday and glad to hear from her. He and Lloyd (Girton) are both alive and in good health. His company and another one were in the fight at Centreville [Fairfax County, Va - this is possibly part of Battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862 which was the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the Civil War. John Pope ordered his Army of Virginia to retreat to Centreville, Va. accompanied by Stonewall Jackson who tried to cut off the Union Army of Virginia’s retreat following the 2nd Battle of Manassas/Bull Run - the Union halted Jackson’s advance] - they did not charge the Rebels because they would not come out of the woods but the ball and shells came at them that they had to get off their horses and lay on the ground. Some of the horses were killed but none of the men going through the woods. They were surrounded with two Rebel regiments of cavalry. There were 15 prisoners taken. He and his company are not in Washington but just across the river from there. [signs off: from F. Rupert to C. W. Rupert - yellow envelope stamped Washington D.C. Sep 5, 1862, stamp removed, addressed to Miss Lucy Rupert Bloomsburg Columbia County Pa]