Hd. Qts. 33^rd Regt. Wis. Vol.

Memphis Tennessee

March 13^th 1863

 

Miss. Annie M. Henry

            Sparta Wis.

 

My Dear Annie:—

After another hard march we are again back to Memphis, and I improve the first spare moments I have in writing you a few lines. On Sunday last I wrote you from Moscow. On Monday morning at 8 oclock we commenced our march and came 18 mile at night our Post Master succeeded in getting our mail and I recd. yours of the 1^st inst. It was a splendid treat dear after marching hard all day I sat down at night and read your letter. I could lay down on my hard bed satisfied, and as happy as I ever expect to be in the Army. On Tuesday we had the hardest march we have yet made. / It commenced raining about one oclock in the morning and continued all day long rain, rain, rain as it only can rain in Secessiondom. We traveled fifteen mile through mud and water and halted at dark with about 150 men in the whole regiment the balance scattered along the road for five mile back and our baggage wagons fast in the mud from one to five mile behind us. It was impossible for our wagons to reach us. We were without tents, overcoats or blankets and still it was raining. The prospect for a nights rest looked gloomy. I got permission from the Col. however to leave the Regt. and with three or four other Officers went to some niger huts and got quarters for the night. After drying our clothes we laid down on the floor with our feet to the fire. Slept soundly, and got up in the morning and eat a hearty breakfast of "hoe cake" and hot coffee with the darkies. In the morning a detail of 50 men were sent back to help our teamsters out of the mud and one by one our men and wagons / drenched with rain and covered with mud came straggling into camp. This was a [?] the hardest trip we have had. Fortunately all our sick and feeble went through by R.R. and we had not them to care for. Saturday and today the weather has been very pleasant. The grass and buds on the trees are starting out and evrything has the appearance of May in Wis^c. We have a splendid camping spot on a high hill just on the outskirts of the city. We have no positive information yet as to our future field of operations. One rumors say we go down the river, another up the river to reinforce Gen. Rosecrans and another that we stay here. The first moment we get any thing positive I will write you. Direct letters here for the present.

 

            The Post Master has just brought me yours of the 9^th and the "Sparta Eagle". Thank you dear for the paper, and for the many expressions of confidence and affection contained in your letter I must ever be under obligation to you for. No thanks and or any thing else in my power to give, save the purest and most / sincere affections of my heart can ever repay you. Those you have

 

            You request me to write you a good long letter. I should like to sit and write until night dear if I could and send it in the next mail but the Post master will soon be here. I have written this in such haste that I am afraid it will trouble you to read it if you can at all. What you can't read dear preserve until I come home and I will try and explain. What a time of rejoicing there will be when this war is over. May God grant that that happy day may be near at hand. Let us hope and pray still. Never lose confidence in God and the final triumph of the cause of Freedom and the right. But I must close. Remember me to all in love, write as often as you can. I will write again in a few days.

                                                                       

Ever most Affectionately Yours

G. Haw

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