Milldale, Miss.

June 22^nd 1863.

           

Dear Sister and Brother.

     I now find myself seated for the purpose of writing you a few lines in answer to yours of the 7^th which I recd this morning, the first letter that I have recd from you in more than a month. we are now on the Yazoo River about ten miles from Vicksburg. we can hear the cannons very plain. they are cannonading every night. I dont think that Vicksburg can hold out much longer for their communication is cut off entirely. Grant has got a line of battle formed from the Miss. River on one side to the Yazoo on the other side and a fleet of gun boats in the river. I saw a man yesterday that came from within a mile and a half of the City. his Reg^t is stationed there

 

Well, now I will stop for dinner.

 

half past one.

now I will try and write a little more. this is the warmest place that we ever have been in yet. / Alonzo Borden has just got back from home. well we have marching orders now so I will wait till we move.

 

June 24^th 1863.

Well, we moved, and yesterday I was busy all day so I could not write, and now I will try and finish this. we are now within six miles of Vicksburg and have orders to have three days cooked rations on hand and sixty rounds of cartridges. there is a continual roar of artillery this morning around the doomed city, its fall is prophesied in three days. they keep it up all night. last night was very heavy fighting and it rained some to.

 

this is the poorest place that we ever camped in. the water is very scarce, and we have to carry it about a mile, and poor water at that. the ground is all cut up into gullies, like that above the road there, and the weather is very hot.

 

            well, I shall have to close. write when you can and I will do the same. My love to all. your Brother L^t W^m Chase. C^o I. 45^th Reg^t Pa. Vols. 1^st Brigade, 1^st Division, 9^th A.C.

Via of Cairo, I^ll. /

 

This is the form of a furlough for enlisted men. it has to go to Regimental Head Quarters, then to Brigade, then to Division, then to the Corps, and then to the Commander of the department.

 

Head Quarters Co. I 45^th P.V.

Camp Dick Robinson Ky.

                       

April 28^th 1863.

Corporal William Hoffman

applies for furlough for

[blank] days.

 

            There are

Absent on furlough = 00

"          "   act Sickness = 6

"          "   Detch^d Service = 4

Present for Duty          = 56

                        Total      66

 

The applicant is a first class Soldier,

has always kept his arms and accouterments

in good order, is neat and tidy in his person

and never misses duty.

 

Head Quarters Co I 45^th P.V.

Camp Dick Robinson K.'y

                        April 28^th 1863.

 

Approved and Respectfully

forwarded.

                        William Chase

                        1^st L^t C^o I. 45^th Pa. Vols. /

 

To all whom it may concern.

            The bearer hereof William Hoffman a Corporal of 1^st Lieutenant William Chase I Company Forty Fifth (45^th) Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. Aged 38, years, 5 feet 8 inches, high, fair complexion, blue eyes, light hair, and by profession a Farmer, born in Saxony Germany, and enlisted at Wellsboro in the State of Pennsylvania on the Twenty first day of September Eighteen Hundred and Sixty one to serve for during the war is hereby permitted to go to Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania he having received a Furlough from the [blank] day of [blank] to the [blank] day of [blank] at which period he will rejoin his company or regiment at Camp Dick Robinson K.'y or wherever it then may be or be considered a deserter.

                                                                                   

Subsistence has been furnished to said Corporal William Hoffman to the [blank] day of and pay to the [blank] day of [blank] both inclusive.

 

Given under my hand at [blank] this [blank] day of [blank] Eighteen Hundred and Sixty three. 1863

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