May 6^th/63

U.S. Marine Hospital N. Orleans La   

          

Dear Wife

            I write you again this morning a few lines so that you may know how I am getting along. I am still at work in the Dispensary here and my health is very good yet. but I get pretty tired but I can stand that as long as I have my health as well as I have at present

 

            There is nothing very important going on here now but with the army up on Red River they are having rather a warm time. The fight that they had there the first of April was rather a hard affair for us for as near as I can find out we were badly whipped and pretty near used up so much so that we had to fall back about 100 mile to Alaxandria leaving some 6 or 8 of our gun boats behind

 

            There was so 70 or 80 of the 160^th killed and wounded all fell into the hands of the Rebs / and I heard that Captain Vandusen was taken prisoner with them. But as to the particulars I have been unable to learn and do not know who is killed or wounded of our boys of C^o A Our Regiment was the only one in the fight but what retreated they held their position until they were ordered back and came near being all captured

 

            The prospect here for accomplishing anything toward restoring peace looks very dark now but I hope that our luck will soon change for the better

 

            I do not have very many rambles around here now to write to you about My time is so much occupied that I do not get out very often. I went up to Carrollton last Sunday afternoon to see a tight rope performance that took place there but the ride was worth a goodeal more than the performance as we took a round about way to come back. it was a pleasant day and I enjoyed the ride very much and shall repeat it as often as I can 

 

            It has been some 4 weeks since I had any letter from you and I am very anxious to hear how you are and to know whether you are yet sick and to hear how the children are. I am coming to see you just as soon as I can

 

            I send you a photograph of a friend that I have here Dr M. D. Benedict first Surgeon of the 75^th N.Y.V. he gave it to me a few days since and I send it to you to keep for me

 

            But I must stop for the breakfast bell has rung and I am very hungry this morning

 

Write as often as you can

L. V. Tucker

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