Henry P. Elliott to Mary P. Elliott, 17 June 1863
Camp Hariman in the war of
Vicksburg Miss                                              
June the 17  63
 
How do you do Mary i thought i would wright a few lines as we have just got into camp my helth is quite good at presant it is very hot down hear and water is very poor and it is cauld very unhelthey but it agrees with me beter than i expected but we have not ben hear long enought yet to hardley tell we air a thousand miles farther from home than we was when we wer in kentucky we have not done eny fighting yet but i expect we shal half to before long. but i hope all will be for the best we have ben within fore miles of the town thair is a good deal of fighting don every day / our folkes have got the town serounded and the rebs dug pits and poot the wimen and children in to protect them from our shot. i tell you that it seams rather a hard cais for them, but grant gave them a chance to come out but they would not so know they half to take it the Country hear is a plais of desolation houses air disarted and nigers air as thick as fleas our armey is geting to be all most a black one and i for one doant like the stile we have not got but one in our rigermant but the western rigermants air fild up with them hundreths of women and children and some of them air white with woley heads it looks disgusting / to see them mixed up so and thair is a good chance for more malgermation i have ben in 17 diferant states and i have seen enough to satisfy me that i like new ingland best. Elro is well and harty our men air all in very good helth at presant i shal expect you to wright as often as you can and i shal do the saim give my love to all and take a good shair to your self Ciss them litle boys for me god bless thair litle soles how i should like to see them i have not sean them pickturs yet take good cair of your self and not borow to much troble and all will be well i am perfectley conted with my lot it is but litle that i think about / my self it is for my famley and i hope and pray for the well fair of thoes that i have left behind, yours with love
                                                                                               
Henry P Elliott
                                                                                               
good by
10290
DATABASE CONTENT
(10290)DL1569.018132Letters1863-06-17

Tags: African Americans, Camp/Lodging, Destruction of Land/Property, Family, Fighting, Photographs, Siege of Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Grant, United States Colored Troops

People - Records: 2

  • (3653) [writer] ~ Elliott, Henry P.
  • (3657) [recipient] ~ Elliott, Mary P. ~ Bennett, Mary ~ Daily, Mary ~ Wells, Mary

Places - Records: 1

  • (676) [origination] ~ Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi

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SOURCES

Henry P. Elliott to Mary P. Elliott, 17 June 1863, DL1569.018, Nau Collection