From the Uniontown (PA) Genius of Liberty, 7/31/1862

LETTER FROM MAJ. JOHNS.

Mrs. Johns has kindly permitted us to read a letter received from her husband, Maj. Peter A. Johns, of the 11^th Penna. Regiment, who was taken prisoner in the late battles on the Chickahominy, and is confined in Richmond. He writes under date of July 6^th, and we make the following extracts: “You must rest assured of my safety and good health. I am, with 124 other officers, nicely quartered in a large tobacco house, in a fine part of this beautiful city, having been removed from our old quarters on the 4^th, which was made as joyous by the singing of national airs, &c., as our situation would admit of. Our captors have treated us extremely well; we have plenty of good fresh bread, fine beef, &c., furnished us. We have men detailed from our own ranks who cook for us, and by buying some vegetable we can get up quite a nice table. We are visited often by officers and citizens, who conduct themselves in the most gentlemanly manner. Generals McCall and Reynolds are in the same room, which is 36 by 40 feet, with 13 field officers, at night light is emitted by 5 gas burners, which gives our hall the appearance of a gay assembly of joyous gentlemen. In the fight of the 27^th our Regiment lost about 100 killed, and 130 wounded. Killed in Company F, A. Core, Andrew Hiles and Frederick Victor. Huse Fisher was mortally wounded, and when last seen on the field was sitting against a tree smoking his pipe perfectly composed. I lost my trunk but my horse is safe. Long letters are not admissible when taken out under a flag of truce.”