No 15.                                                                                                            

July the 3, /63

Camped near Vixburg

 

Dear Mollie

The last letter I received from you was the 7. we had a mail yesterday which brought me a paper, but no letter I was disapointed, for this is the second mail since I received one. the most of the boys have got letters in both mails. I am afraid you are negligent in writing. Vrooman says he thinks Kate is & perhaps you wanto get rid of us. if that is the case, write & let us know, for we think we can stand a good chance in Vixburg, there are plenty of them there. So no more about that, but write often. I havent eny news of importance this time. we are holding them / as usual. I think they will smell some powder & shell to morow, for it is the 4 & we will celibrate it around Vixburg. in my last letter I wrote about the money I sent you, it was $20, sent to Garrison. I thought I would speak about it in this for fear you might not get it. I wrote Mother a letter the first of July I wrote 6 pages & I think she will write to me if she gets it. I havent heard from Dow since last spring. I dont no if he is dead or alive. if I knew where his regiment is I would go & see the boys. they must know where he is dead or alive. the weather is very hot here now, hot anough to roast eggs in the sand if we had them. 

 

the health of our regiment is not as good as it was. the health of our company is about as usual Landon has been sick for four or five days with a fever he has it broke up & is geting along fine. a great meny in our regiment think that we will go home after this place is taken some of them are beting money on it. I think we will stand a good chance to go up the river but I dont think we will be discharged. I hope we may, & the government will conscript those d.d. coperheads to fight the batels, to take the front, & the old soldiers in the rear to drive them at the point of the bayonet. wo be unto them if some of our regiments / should be discharged, thare would be more shooting & hanging done than has ever been done in Iowa. well Mary I have just had my supper & I will tell you what I had, bread & some very nice beef, & coffee & some dried aples well cooked for I cooked them my self, the last of those which Kate sent last spring. they are a fine thing for the army. no mor to night.

 

July the 4 well Mollie, Great & glorious news this morning, Vixburg surrendered this morning about 9 oclock. I have not learned the condition of the surrender, but I think it is unconditional. we hav not moved yet, I think we will this this afternoon. they are marching up & stacking their arms / & our pickets & our pickets advance & take possesion of them, & the rebs fall back, I tell you this is a great day here. I wish it was the same all through the south but it is not. I understand that the prisoners are to be parolled here. I am sory to hear that, for there are a great meny that will turn round & fight us in a short time. we had marching orders this morning to be ready at eny time with 10 days rations we dont no which way we are going. we never can tell untill we get to our journeys end. our gunboats have come down & are laying at the wharf at Vixburg. I dont know as I have eny more to write this time. From your husband O Shibly         Mollie

                                   

write often

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