No 9                                                                                                   

May the 29 /63

Camped in the rear of Vixburg

 

Dear Mollie

I received a letter from you writen April 26 the 26 of May, & one the 28 of May writen the 17, at school no. 8, & the other was No 5 so you see there are two that I have not got yet, but I think I will before long. I was very glad to get your letters after a march of about 200 miles in side of 18 days. we started the second of may & got to Jackson the the 14 staid there one day & started for this place which we reached the 18. we are not doing much now. we are laying here watching the enemy we are entrenching every night. we we got them in close quarters & we intend to hold them to it. their provision is geting short they live on half rations /

 

you spoke in one of your letters about selling that land I have not thought much about it but if you can sell it for what it is worth you had better sell it. I dont no what land is worth there now but I think the perrarie & timber is worth four hundred & fifty dollars cash. perhaps I will have the good luck to get home this fall if I do I can tell more about it. a great meny seam to think that we will get home in July they say we are in the last three hundred thousand & if so we are 9 months men. our Colonel has said he would take us home in July but I dont look for it unless the war ends. we have taken about six thousand prisoners since we started. the force in vixburg is estimated at from 25 to 30 thousand /

 

            I am glad you have received that money I sent you. you say you let John have 20 dollars. I am glad you let him have it, but I am afraid you will get out of money before you get eny more. we wont get eny more pay until vixburg is taken. the health of the boys is good & I think it is about time for our company is geting very small we have only 31 men fit for service & I think they will stand it enything unless it is led & that they can dodge prety well. I think it is time for we have lost nearly one half of our company. I wrote to you in my last letter about the charge that we made & was repulsed with a heavy loss. General Sherman is the man thats to blame for it all. he caused the great slaughter / last winter on the yazoo. general Grant says that he is not agoing to make eny more charges. he says he is agoing to have Vixburg in two weeks. I hope he will take it without the loss of life for I have seen enough of it. well Mollie cant tell you much about our march. I wrote some about it in my last letter. the 9 lost a good meny men. I saw Don day before yesterday, he is not very well. his lungs are very much affected. he says he is very some beter than he has been I think he will go home before long

 

well my sheat is nearly full so iwill close soon. tell Henry that I have writen to him some time ago & I would like to have him write to me. tell John & Josa to write. I am well & harty with the exception of my eyes they are about the same. from your husband

Oliver

 

[upside down margins]

 

I will send you 3 dollars of confederate money & some Jackson thread or thread

 

tell Lillie to be a good girl & go to school all she can

SOURCES