William H. Corbin to Sarah E. Corbin, 28 March 1863
Mempis Tenn
March the 28th 1863
I take the presant moment to enform you that I am not very well as yet. I have the chills every day but very bad but it makes me fell bad I have the head ache most of the time. But it was enough to make one fell bad to have to do the way we did. we could only could get deck passage and I only had the cloths with me that I took from home. I hope that this will reach and find you well all of you. I wrote you a letter at Cairo. I was on the boat 2 days I have seen many large guns 84 #s / and some small ones
Columbus is on the Tenn side well commanded with the surrounding hill and many large pieces of artillery in position wich will command the river for miles around we passed on down the river I seen Island No 10. It is a large island and well commanded by artillery. I next seen Fort Pillow wich is strongly fortified. The 52 Ind Rigt is thare when we anchorded quite a crowded assembled and I asked if any one of the 32 Rigt was thare one spoke and said he belonged to it. I told him that I had a cousin in that Regt. I told him his name was Corbin. He said he knowed him I went and wrote him a letter and thowed it a shore / and thus I discribe Fort Pillow. we then passed on down the river to memphis well Memphis is a very nice looking place if it was not for the contrabands They are awful looking fellows
I am in Fort Pickering at this time you ought to see the big bull doges on the fortifications. They fire a salut every morning & evening I have seen the Convalescent Camp at this place. all most every kind of man is there well I will wait untill I come home to tell you about the looks of the camp But you can gess what I will tell you. we have got transportation for down the river I had to quit writing this forenoon / on account of a chill I feel better now my throught is sore some but it is on acount of getting wet last night such a storm of rain I never witnessed Oh! How it did rain and thunder I never herd the like and the ligtning It was enough to blind any one almost But the storm passed over finely some of the tents blowed down on the Boys It was quite a joke to. I have come across Paris A. Larimore He is here in the camp with me He is going down to Vicksburg with me It will be great pleasure for me to have company I have seen a great many steam boats & gun boats. The one we come down on had 1,500 tons of freight on it and 150 passengers aboard
Direct to Vicksburg 69th Regt Ind. Vols. Co (K) Wm. H Corbin
Goodby
Miss S. E. Corbin
10017
DATABASE CONTENT
(10017) | DL1564.009 | 132 | Letters | 1863-03-28 |
Tags: African Americans, Artillery, Camp/Lodging, Clothing, Guns, Illnesses, Ships/Boats, Siege of Vicksburg, Slavery
People - Records: 2
- (3593) [writer] ~ Corbin, William H.
- (3596) [recipient] ~ Corbin, Sarah Elizabeth ~ Murphy, Sarah Elizabeth
Places - Records: 1
SOURCES
William H. Corbin to Sarah E. Corbin, 28 March 1863, DL1564.009, Nau Collection