Barrier writes from the trenches near Petersburg while awaiting an attack from "the indomitable Ulysses S. Grant." He describes an action of the previous Friday (17 June) in which elements of Clingman's Brigade recovered a stretch of the Petersburg defensive trenches from occupying Yankees. "Our Brigade has the satisfaction of being complimented by General Lee that we saved Petersburg and half of our Corps from the hands of the enemy. But the gallant deeds of our Brigade fell seriously upon us in the way of numbers we have lost in this campaign in killed, wounded, and missing, about 1200 hundred men, but I hope most of these are prisoners." Barrier is getting along well and has recovered from his illness. He is confident that the upcoming battle will see Grant defeated: "I think you will soon hear that Grant is the worst beaten yankee that ever fought Lee. Our army is perfectly confident of success." He is still deliberating over whether or not to buy a horse, considering the prices.