July 25^th 1863

 

            Dear wife I have the privelege of writing to you again to let you know that I am still in the land of the living & in the enjoyment of tolerable health I should have written to you sooner but circumstances were such that I could not well do it as we have been on the move nearly ever since I left wrote to you last then we were camped 2 miles above Tibadaux we left there about the 9^th of this month in the direction of Ft Donelson in the expectation of meeting the enemy travelled about ten miles & throwed up breast works we dug a ditch about half a mile long about 3 ft deep & the same in width so confident were we of an attack that we tore down a good deal of fencing & paling cut down corn that would have obstructed kept us from seeing the enemy & had fuel piled up against several houses that would have been set on fire if the enemy had come but alas with all the great news of our repulsing them at Vicksburg & Fort hudson they were taken the day we finished our ditches news came in that those places we were taken we remained at our ditches that night the next day & night & then began to fall back & have been on the march nearly ever since we are now at camped 1½ miles from Vermillionville near vermillion Bay it is expected now that we will make a stand here, that is another reason that I did not write sooner as we have been in the expectation of a fight all the time then it was uncertain about my letters coming we arrived here yesterday evening & to day I have washed my clothes Sunday as it is, but I have been dirty so long that I wanted my things clean once more we have had some peaches & watermelons in the last day or two I hope you will be lucky enough to get some too 

 

            Dear wife I hardly know what to write to you at this I have not heard from you since the 1^st June & I am very anxious to hear from you now B Scruggs got a letter from home wrote about the 20^th of June but they said nothing about you as to the prospects of the war I can not give you any reliable news that I know of Vicksburg & Hudson is both gone I recon it is reported here & thought to be reliable that Lee had whipped hooker & taken Washington if that be so it will be an ofsect against Vicksburg & Hudson if you can get hold of the papers you can learn more about the war than I can write to you as I hardly ever see a paper we have had some very warm weather since you I wrote last in falling back I dont think there has been any thing left for the feds that is evry thing we took at Brasier city has been removed we took our time in falling back. there is a good deal of sickness now at this time but very few deaths the sick here when put in the hospital are well attended to. I have some little hopes of getting to come home this coming winter again I think if when we leave here it will be in the direction of Texas

my dear wife I want you to write to me often as I dont think I get all you write it does me good to hear from you Direct your letter to Vermillionville by the way of Nibletts Bluff if we stay here I will write once or twice a week as it is getting late I must bring my letter to close hoping may find you all well & doing well also that the time may not be long before we may have pleasure of meeting again, but if it should be God's will that we should meet no more on earth let live so that we may meet in Heaven kiss the children & accept my love Give my love & respects to Jess & family & to enquiring friends. So no more at present from your affectionate Husband                               

T. W. Johnson /

 

July 28^th 1863

Dear Wife as I have not met with a chance to send my letter yet I will write a little more this morning I am as well as usual nothing new of interest to write you more than we moved our camp yesterday & camped in order we did move over 100 yds we are in a very pretty place plenty of shade to lay under I have been sewing all morning patching my pants & other thing I have a very good overcoat & 2 under coats & plenty of drawers some other clothing I stand in need of but I think I will have a chance to draw them I want you to get Capt Diamond or Roff to send me word whether they will accept me in their company or not if they will get them to send me a written aceptation from the Capt & Colⁿ if any. you can get Gillmore to attend to it I do not know that I can get a transfer but if I had the paper I would try & I think it would be a good time this fall to try especially about the time they went go in to winter quarters I would like very much to se you all now my heart longs to be at home with you but it cant be yet then let our prayers be to God that he may watch over us protect us from all danger forgive our sins keep us from evil direct us in the way we should go that we may soon meet together in love & peace & finally when it is his will take us from this earth that we may be prepared to meet him at the judgment bar & receive the crown of glory prepared for them that love & serve God write to me how you are getting a long whether you have plenty to eat or not who is staying with you &c. what Jess is doing whether any indian excitement or not tell Eddy I think a heap about him & wonder whether him & Johny is learning any thing or not whether they are good boys & help their mother or whether kiss them & willie & as many as you want yourself for me & all the other pretty girls that wants a kiss I think I will have an opportunity to send this to dallas by hand give Jess & family my love & respects and enquiring friends & receve a good share yourself from your affectionate husband

Thomas. W. Johnson

 

[overleaf]

 

Due 10

Mrs. Martha E. Johnson

Gainsville Texas

 

From 3 Sar in com^y I

Hawpes Reg^m Speight                                   

Brigade

 [postmark] Vermillionville Aug 5

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