We are camped about 4 miles above vixburg on the river                                                                   

January the 25/63

 

Dear Mary

I received a leter from you last evening which I was very glad to get, & to day being sunday, I thought I would write a fiew lines to you. I wrote you a leter to you the 21 but I thought I would commence one to day. I cant say when I will finish it for there is no telling when the mail will go out. I found two postage stamps in your two last leters. I guess you mean to keep me writing if I use them up as fast as you send them I have more than 20 on hand now, so you need not send me eny more at preasent. it has been raining the most of 2 days & it is the worst mud I ever saw. I am siting on a log writing this leter so you can imagin the convenience we have have for writing. the boys are cooking dinner, some of them are mixing bread some are baking pancakes some one thing & some another. the health of the regiment is not very good we / have been on these cursed old boats so long that I wonder that there was no more died than has. I think if we can stay here 3 or 4 weeks the health of the men will improve. I think likly we will, for they have commenced diging on that canal which cuts off vixburg from the mississippi, which you have read of a year ago they expect to finish it now. I can see vixburg from where I am siting. with a spy glass we can see them looking at us & watching our moves. they will proberly try & prevent our opening that canal, but I think they will find something to do, if the river keeps raising for a week to come as it has for 3 days past it wont want much diging. Mary I have some sad news to tell you, Ed Young died last thursday evening. wednesday night he was taken very severe he was insensible when he died he never spoke after he was taken. his wife will take / it very hard, for it will come very unexpected to her. I looked for his brother the day before he died but could not find him, we had but just got him buried when he came. it was a very suden shock to him for he had not heard of his being sick. he seen him less than a before as well as common. Ed has not been well since before we left helena we buried him as well as a soldier can be buried. there was another buried by the side of him, out of Co. H. our Chaplin made a prayer & we left them to rest in another world. you wrote in your leter that you could teach school. you must do as you think best the weather will be disagreable & you must think of your health. if they will board you near the school house why you can do as you think best. you must know if you can leave the children or not. Vrooman is well & harty & Landon the same. he got a letter last evening & said the folks were all well. I let Vrooman / read your letter to day & he had to laugh when he read about your eating & said he was glad to hear that your apetites were so good he thinks there is anough in Iowa to keep you a spell. I havent heard from Dow since he left for memphis he proberly is doing well. Mr Gerard got a leter from Henry & he never said one word about me. tell him I should think he might put in one word for me if no more. tell him that he may be thankful that he got his discharge when he did for if he had been with us on this expedition it would kill him, for Don says this is the hardest service he has ever saw. I think we will have a litle beter times now, while we stay here.

 

I have not been very well for the past 10 days, but I am well now & the boys are improving. I would like to have John & Josa write a word to me. may this find you all well. from your husband, Oliver to Mollie

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