Near Jackson Miss July 16 1863

 

Dear Mother

I received a letter from you last night dated the 28 day of June. It is now about ten days since I wrote last as near as I can recollect. We had then left our camp in the rear of Vicksburg that place having fallen and started on after Gen Johnston. We crossed the Big Black river and but did not find any rebels to oppose us. We learned however that they had not been gone long and we pushed on after them following close on their heels. They burnt some cotton to prevent it falling into our hands. We passed a plantation belonging to Jeff Davis's brother what cotton there was there was on fire. The enemy did not stop till he got to Jackson. When we got within about five or six miles of the city we halted for the night and the next morning started out in light marching order to find the enemy intending to offer him battle. We advanced in column till we got within about 4 miles of the city when we formed a line of battle on a space of cleared land about a mile or so across. On the opposite side was a piece of woods and we expected to find the rebels posted there ready to receive us. Our brigade took the right. We advanced in line with the 45^th reg^t Penn thrown out as skirmishers a few rods in advance. When they got about half way across the field they came upon the rebel picket but they retired as the 45^th advanced keeping up a sharp skirmish. The rest of us (the 1^st brigade) followed as fast as our skirmishers drove in the rebs. We did not find the rebels posted in the wood as we expected. So we advanced through the woods up a hill on which the Mississippi State Asylum for the insane is situated. It is a fine building very large building The grounds are well laid out round it. but it looks sadly now our troops having been obliged to camp around it. The insane were left behind by the rebels and Uncle Sam has got to support them. They have not had any wheat bread at the asylum since last winter nor coffee for a year. We went into the yard on the double quick. We expected that was in the edge of the city and Col Bowman told us he wanted to get us into the town first. But when we got there we found the city was over two miles distant and that the rebels had retired to their fortifications near it. So we advanced a little further till we gained a hill where it being most dark we halted and rested on our arms in line of battle overnight. In the morning we started on again and advanced about three quarters of a mile when we came upon a fort and the rebel skirmishers went into their rifle pits. Our skirmishers found it impossible to drive them out without great loss and it was decided not to undertake to to carry the fort and besides it was said it was not the policy of Gen Grant to drive them upon this side very hard. So we stopped where we were our skirmishers keeping up a fire with the rebels all the time while we lay back to support them. In the course of the day company F & A of our reg^t were sent out as skirmishers to reinforce the 45^th reg^t. These two companies lost two men killed and seven wounded             

 

Sunday morning we were relieved by the second division of our corps and retired to the rear to rest a little. Tuesday morning we went back and relieved the 2^nd division again and this morning Thursday the 16^th they have taken our place again. Since our arrival our forces have been planting batteries to operate on the rebel fortifications. Our regiment has had but two killed so far. The number of wounded I do not know. I do not think it is over 25 though. Gen Grant or Sherman is on the other side of the city. I do not know what the plan of operations is. Some think the rebels will make a stand and others that they will retire. We have alarms every day or two that they are trying to break through our lines. /

 

I have not seen the city yet. We are not quite near enough.

 

I received a letter from Addie Hayward the other day and will answer it as soon as I get a little leisure time. I also received a letter from George Emerson last night. He was well and expected to start for home in a day or two. He was near Williamsburg when he wrote the 28^th of June. He said Gen Keyes was advancing on Richmond and that skirmishing had been going at Fair Oaks that day. That constitutes about the latest news I have received from the region of Virginia as we get no papers only what you send by mail from home. There is a report however that Richmond is taken by our forces but we do not know whether to believe it or not. I hope to be able to report that of Jackson soon.

 

You asked me if I got any papers from you I do and I can assure you I am glad to get them. We do not have either the Congregationalist or Recorder furnished us. They were sent to the hospital where I was last night winter. Aunt Alice sent me a Congregationalist by the last mail. Your inquiry as to vegetables I will answer. We do not get a great many. The Sanitary Commission gave us some potatoes and desiccated vegetables. We got plenty of blackberries but they are about gone by now. They did me a good deal of good. We get plenty of green corn now to roast and take what vegetables we can find in the gardens &c so that we get along very well. I am sorry to hear that Charles Adams is sick and did not like soldiering any better. It is not the pleasantest business that ever was but I grow more contented every day and the time does not seem long to look back upon but it is to look ahead to. I am glad to learn that you are well at home and what father is doing. I am glad Mary has got a chance to go to school at Groton and I hope you will not be lonesome. I will enclose 50 cts please send me some postage stamps as I cannot get any here. If you can send me a little paper and some envelopes without to much trouble I should like it. But I must close. I believe I have written about all the news. Harvard boys are well all but Leavitt he was left back sick before we began our advance but was getting better. We have not heard from him lately. I am well and stand it well. Write soon and with love to all I will close

 

From your son

E. W. Stacy.

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