Snyder's Bluff Miss July the 14 1863

 

Dear parents

                        I received your long looked for letter which found me as well as one could expect from the change of climate it also brought the good tidings of your good health which I hope this will find you the same well you must excuse me for not writing more than I have for there was not one third of the letters went that was wrote by others but since the fall of Vicks I suppose the letters will go well about war matters Vic surrendered on the 4^th of July that holy day of Independance which made the Reb^s feel very bad to think their leader would wait untill that day before he gave up well we got prisoner to the amount of 30,564 and very near double the amount of arms I have been there myself to see the place it is a hard looking place the town was not tore up very bad not so much as one would think the amount of shell he threw in there I suppose though that Geⁿ Grant had an idea that he would get the place with out doing much damage to it he said all along that he could take it in two hours by loosing a large number of his own men but he thought he could take it without so much the / sacrifice to his own army in the way he did take it by starving them out they had been living on mule meat for nine day and quarter rations at that before they surrendered I have talked with a great many of them which was on their way home and they say they are tired of it and all they want now is to get home and they never will never soldier any more in this war. they say they find the Yankees much more accommodating than they expected to we feed them lodge them over night when they come along the same as if they belonged to army I think it is right

 

                        You say you wanted to know if I had plenty to eat and wear I have I belong to the ambulance Corps and we have plenty fruit both dried and green and our squad has confiscated a cow so we live very well indeed

 

                        I send you my most sincere thanks for that birth day cake the last time I heard from John Hen he was well

                                                                       

So no more

 

Write soon

 

From J L Lanterman                                                  

To the whole Family                         

 

Good By for this time

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