Camp of the 15^th Regt Ills Vols

Memphis Saturday May 9^th /63

 

Dear Brother & Sister

                                    Yours of the 28^th of April was received a few days ago and should have been answered sooner, but I have had so many camp duties to attend to I could not find time to write. we have had to double our picket guard in order to prevent smugling so that it brings us on guard every other day some of our own men have got to smugling goods to the Rebels we were so fortunate as to get a couple of the gentry this week and I think they will learn by the lesson they will get, to let the contraband business alone hereafter. It appears that Hooker has got his hands full and I guess rather more / than he can attend to I do not see why it is that the Eastern Army is destined to suffer defeat in every attempt it makes surely it is not because they have not got the material to fight with I should think if they were rightly managed that they could do as good fighting as the western army

 

By our dispatches from Vicksburg this morning Grant is moveing every thing before him that attempts to stop him ere many days I think Vicksburg will be ours The work of arming the nigger does not progress very fast I think if we are to wait for them to put down the Rebellion we will have to wait awhile I presume you have seen an account of the skirmish our Brigade had with the Rebel Gen^l Chalmers a few days ago. / If there was ever a lot of hard looking men together he had them but they did not amt. to much. I had a letter from Owen this week the first I have had for a long time there has been a great deal of sickness in Carroll this spring quite a number of my acquaintances have died. Edwin I wish you would send me your Carroll paper sometimes. I have wrote to Carroll for it 'till I have got tired wether they send them or not I can not say. But it is time for drill so I must close My love to Slagles Mr Smith and all other enquireing Friends

 

Write soon

                       

As Ever Your Brother

George

 

[overleaf]

Answered

            May 18/63

Co. K. 15 Reg. Illi. Infantry

Camp near Memphis

            Memphis

                        Tennis

 

G B Miles

Army Letters

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