Walnut Hills July 4^th 1863

 

My Dear Wife Emelia

                                    You will know before you receive this that Vicksburg is ours. The first that we knew that there was any talk of a surender was yesterday about 3 Oclock. there was a flag of truce came out on our left and Pemberton (The Rebel Comander) and Grant had an interview and all was quiet along the lines. Pemberton was not wiling to come to Grants terms but agreed to give him an answer at 10 Oclock. This morning all was quiet and the Rebs all came up in sight on their works without their arms and our men done the same but we did not know untill nearley noon that / they had realy surendered when they showed the white flag and came out and stacked their arms then we knew that Vicksburg was realy ours. I tell you my dear Wife it has been a glorious 4^th. They wer almost starved and had been liveing on mule meat but you will know all about it before this reaches you. I should write a long letter however and give you all the peticulars but we are under marching orders and shall leave before morning whare I cannot tell but do not worey if you do not hear from me at presant. I have not been into the heart of the City for I have been very busey geting ready to leave. Our Division are in camp in the same place they wer when I last wrote. I have nothing new to write but / wish I had time to write you a good long letter for my heart is full. I talked with many of the soldiers and others and they all tell the same story of their sufferings. many wer killed and more died of disease for they wer obliged to live in holes dug in the hills to protect them from the shells. I think they need to suffer some and God is just. I wish we could stay in the City a while but they always keep Iowa boys on the move. I wrote a few days ago and have received no letter from you since I shall write again as soon as I can. I need not tell you that I write this in haste for you will have hard work to read it but I have much to do yet and it is late. Remember me to all. God bless you my dear good Wife

 

Ever your        George

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