Milldale Mississippi.

July 29^th 1863.

 

Friend William

                        As I have a good opportunity to write I will now do so. I wrote to you a short time ago and have been waiting for an answer. I presume you have got it before this. we are about to leave old Miss. for Kentucky. we have been here in camp about a week waiting for transports. we expect them in two or three days. I shall really be glad when they come for I can say I have got tired of this state. oh dear my pen is so awful poor I cannot write fit to be seen and I have to write on my knee which is / very inconvenient. I am used to a table or something of the kind. well you must excuse all blunders &c. I will write something about the Battle of Jackson. the 11^th N.H. Regt. was engaged in it. they were under fire 70 hours. there was 10 wounded 1 killed 2 wounded from Co. C. I presume you have seen the account of it in the papers before this so I will not attempt to give the names of killed & wounded. there was quite a number wounded in the 35^th Mass. Well I will tell you what the Drum Corps had to do. we were in as dangerous place as the Regt. we had to carry off the wounded. carry the stretchers that was pretty hard work I tell you. Well that is the place for musicians. I am willing to do all required of me but as for carrying a gun I dont think I ever shall. the bullets come thick and fast over our heads. some come within 2 feet of me. that was / plenty near enough. I never want them to come any nearer. the Rebs evacuated in the night. very early in the morning our Regt. had orders to advance out of the intrenchments. they all started with great hurry expecting every minute the Rebels would give them a rally. after going a little ways they came to the holes they layed in. nothing to be seen of the greybacks the boys said they dreaded to get out of the intrenchments. they expected to get awfuly cut up they had a pretty hard time of it. didnt get any sleep for two nights nor half enough to eat either. Well Billy now about farming. I presume you are at haying now, getting rye barley &c. &c. I should kinder like to help hay a little while just enough to exercise myself. we dont do enough out here to keep us awake but when we are on a march we have all want to do. / we had some pretty tough marches going to Jackson and back again. we went 15 and 20 miles a day. very warm days indeed. my feet were very sore. I had to go barefooted part of the time. the sand was so hot we couldnt hardly walk in it. it is great deal warmer out here than in N.H. or Mass. and we have very heavy thunder showers too. the lightning is very sharp indeed. we have showers every day. we had one last night. very heavy. it blew over any quantity of tents.

 

Well how is Fred & wife getting along. I dont see why he dont write to a fellow. I have written to him twice I believe since he wrote to me. Wayland Balch is well as usual. there is a great many sick in the Regt. quite a number got the shakes. I havnt seen a sick day since I have been out here. I am thankful for it. good health is a great thing in the Army. Well my sheet is most full fine sir as I hant much news to write, this letter probably wont be very interesting. you must excuse all mistakes poor writing &c. Please write soon give my best respecks to all the folks.

                                                                       

From your Friend        E. P. French

 

Have you been drafted yet? I should like to see you out here all you Patriotic folks come.

Park.

SOURCES