Youngs Point La.

Wednesday Night June 24^th 1863

 

Dear Brother & Sister

                                    I have come to the conclusion that it is about time for me to answer your kind welcom & interesting letter which I received at youngs point on the 13^th of June this month I was glad to hear that you were all well & hope you may long continue thus I have but verry little news of interest to write you at this time only that I am in good health although in a verry sickley part of the globe.

 

There is a great de'll of sickness here but we have had but one death since we left Memphis Tenn I believe our morning report shows that there is 11 of our Line Officers on the sick list and about 40 men here in camp besides those we left in Memphis & other places. counting those that are absent we have about 15 commissioned Officers & 85 men I think Dock Lodge is doing verry well by not letting them die although Dock has had a pretty hard time in keeping himself up. He had a pretty hard spell one day & night while we were in rear of Vicksburg at several times we drew a barrel of whiskey and I think it was a little too much for Dock for I heard that he had a drunken fit. I think his constitution is pretty wel broken. I do not want you to let any person know that I have written thus that will be likley to blab it so that Dock will be likley to find it out There is a first assistant surgeon to be apoinded & commissioned in our Regt and I think / I could get you the apointment But I do not think you would want it as you and Lodge are not verry good friends This I suppose would be one objection iff no others. Our Regt was paid off on Monday last we received 2 months pay. There will be 2 months more due us at the last of this month We are doing nothing but lay around in camp and furnish picket camp & other guards some times half of our Regt are out We have a heap of country to guard here. The picket lines runn from the bank of the river in frunt of Vicksburg to a point above the mouth of the Yazoo River. our camp is oposite the mouth of the Yazoo River I have heard no news of the Rebs since we left or runn them out of Richmond. (which I suppose you have see the acunt of in Barbara's letter) We have the report here that Port Hudson is taken by Gen Banks. Yet I will wait a few days before I believe it Vicksburg is still in possession of the Rebs but I do not know how long it will remain so, not long I hope. I should like to spend the 4^th of July in the city. Yet I do not think I could take any more pleasure than I did on last fourth such times do not happen more than once a year to a man in the Army. It is about one year ago since I have had the pleasure of seeing you although it does not seem so long but I would like to see you all as well now as ever before when my mind wanders back to the happy days I spent in your company when I was last with you I long to be there again It would do my soul good were I to night where I could hear you sing some of those nice songs you sung for me when I was last / with you. Little did I think when I last bid you farewell that at this time I would be so far from you with as little hopes of seeing you again soon. But let us hope for the best things may take a change soon & I may have the privilege & satisfaction of seeing you again ere long My Sisters & Brothers-in-law seem nearer & dearer the longer I stay away. But I must not talk thus or you will think I am homesick and pity me or that I am tired of serving my country which I am not. of coarse course I would like iff the war was ended but not until it is ended satisfactorily to ourselves. We have had verry nice weather since I last wrote, last evening we had quite a little storm it blowed verry hard for a little while and then commenced raining but did not rain hard, it commenced a little after dark & rand a little most all night but stopped this morning & has benn pretty warm to day although cloudy and tonight windy as a general thing we have verry fine cool nights to sleep. I am verry thankful for the song you sent me it is verry nice but I had seen it before while at Memphis Tenn You said in your last letter that Barbara was verry anxious to receive a letter from me. Well I think that ere this reaches you she will have it one as she dont want another. Since I have been writing this I have had to go and make a detail for 32 men & one com to get ready with one days rations and go aboard the boat to go up the river a few miles to an island and gather up cattle It is a heap of trouble to get men up after they get to bed once so I had to wait a long / time on them to get ready and it has made it verry late and me sleepy therefore I shall have to close. But I have told you about all the news I can think of at present Hoping that you all will hear good news on the fourth of July and spend the day pleasantly I will close by sending my love to Uncle Ben's Family, John & Edward, Celia Huston (dont get mad Ed for I mean no harm) &c &c Reserve a share for yourselves

 

So good bye for a short time I hope

 

George F Glossbrenner                      

To Brother & Sister Madison

           

P.S. Gen Grant keeps sending more or less

shell in the city of Vicksburg every day & night

                                               

I am still acting as Adjutant

G.F.G.

 

[parenthetical note in another hand]

 

Capt. G. F. Glossbrenner

Co "I" 63 Ill Vols

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