Saturday Noon            Jany 3 1863

on Board Sunny South Milligans Point

 

on the Luesa anna shore and Raining hard     My dear wife we are ordered to Leave the Boat and camp hear we have ben deacently whiped and evry thing Looks as if we should be I have got Rested and feel much beter I have ben highly complimented for the way I handled my company in the fight by the Colonel and others But I am in a hury now and must close we have had no mail since we left Memphis But it will come some time write often I shall send my my leters home till I hear from you

 

Well Cinda hear I set as I Just told you wet & cold have I have eat nothing for 3 day and have nothing to eat But hardbread & fat Poark I have a Bad Diarhoea and am all used up for my part I feel discouraged as I cannot see as we are gaining any thing I am more fit to Be in Bed than in the Batle field But this day may deside my fate I write this to Let you no my feelings Fairwell for another day

 

Tuesday Evening Most Sunset—Well Cinda another day is most gone and we have not ben called in Line we expected to But have Ben cleaning our guns and geting Ready I think in the morning we shall again commence They are bringing up the Morters for a Siege hear it Seems to me we have gained nothing yet But I am not the Judge I feel some Rested and beter than I did this morning We have Lost in our little Regiment Some 20 killed & wounded I am still alive if Vixburg is our in a week I am Satisfied a Kiss to you & Pet Good night

 

[faint underwriting ]

New Years Morning 1863

Dear Wife I wish you a hapy new year But I am not hapy to day the night has ben a cold one We have ben on Picket all night I feel all used up we are still not 2 hundred yards from the enemy and have to Lay by to day & suport the artillery our Side have Lost a great many already we had an armistice for 2 hour to bury the dead To Day the Batle is Renewed and I feel doubtful if I see the Rising of another sun but we all hope on. My family are Before me and if I fall I hope my Peace is made with My God I must Bid you good By and awate the Providence of another day Good By hapy New Year

 

[darker, over the above]

Cinda I am now seated Behind a Big Log it is chrismas after noon we are still on Picket We have had orders not to fire any unless a general ingagement takes Place the Rebels are ocasionaly throwing a Shell among us to harris us & it does harris me for I am sick and nearvous and had rather stand a hard shower of musktry I hope to never spend another such A newyears as this it is most night and is going to be cold oh how I wish I was at Home Good By for to night A Kiss

 

Wednesday Morning Dec 31^st 1862 Dear Wife since writing another cold night has Passed and then Sun Shines as clear & cloudless as if we wer at home I am still on the field & where are you I cannot tell you that I am well this morning for I am not. Laying in the cold and wet Ground and the Fatiegue of Batle for 4 Day would use most any one up I assure you But I hope to hold out & see this thing over we are waiting for some more I no not what I cant see as we have gained much yet The Rebil works seem impenitrible But I hope for the Best I will wate for More news This after noon we are on Picket and are haveing a hard time O how I wish I was at home once more We have to stay on Picket all night *

 

[overleaf, bottom right to left]

 

Monday Morning Dec 29

            My dear Wife I am Still alive and am again writing to O The Horrors of war I thought yesterday doubtful if I should write you to day But I am Still alive The Batle Still Rages and Our Brigade is Releaved & have fell Back to Rest as we have Ben ingaged a day and A half—I feel Worn out But I am Cool and composed and have Ben if it is my fate I shall go if not I hope to again Return to my Beloved family I feel Solumm and Sober to day the Day is Pleasant

 

Tuesday Morning Dear Cinda another Days hard fighting is over and Still another commenced yesterday about noon we wer ordered to the front and under the most Galling of all fires I ever witnessed the men went in cool and Brave But many of them never Returned. We wer under good cover of fellen Timbr We faught till after dark when Both Parties appeared willing and kept it up all night and is Still Runing we wer releaved about 8 or 9 oclock and fell Back—We are in a Swamp that in time of high water overflows 15 feet as we can Plainly see by the Looks of the trees we have had no sleep nothing but our rubr Blankets the 29 of Dec in a Swamp & Pelting Rain But I thank God that I am alive while Perhaps many beter men are Gone to Rest well another Morning has appeared and Long before day the Batle is Renewed & is Still Raging we are geting Ready for the Ballance of the scene (Immagin My feelings

 

[top, middle & right, then left]

 

Saturday Morning

My D Wife I am now seatd on a Big Stump in A corn field We are all Ready for an action and are hourly expecting a Batle The cannon commenced Roaring and We hear them occasionaly now We heard the first yesterday about one if you knew where I was to day you would have a restless time But Thank God you do not and will not till I am either Through Safe or am in another world and I hope a Beter one I shall try and do my hole duty—I am in command of 3 companies in one I have the Luck to have Captains Sick in time of Batle I wish I new how you was this morning These are times that Tries mens Souls The fight commences about noon We are now seting Hearing the Roar of the Cannon I hope I may be able to Write after this*

 

28 We opened fire Saturday night But Dark Soon Shut us off and firing Ceased. The enemy Threw a few Shell among us Sunday Morning We wer called up and fell in line and our Cannon opened a heavy fire on them and was Replied to by Musketry and Shell—we then opened on them a heavy fire and a Constant fire was kept up all day—about 10 we was Releaved by the 83 Indianna and fell Back for a short time We changed Positions several Times When The Rebils did fire it was generaly distructive They killed Siveral officers and Stretchers with dead and woundid wer most of the time in Sight about 4 we wer ordered to Cross the Ranene to charge A Batery which would have proved fatal to us all had we done it We Laid down and the Cannon fired over us once the Shell Burst

 

and killed and Woundid Several of our own men Just Before night My Company was ordered on fatiegue With axes They had only Just Started when one of them was killed and we came back The Cannonadeing was terrible in the after noon so endid another Saboth I was detailed to go on Picket But after Starting was Releaved and came Back and went to Bed early But not to Sleep But to Lay and Ponder over the Shortness of mans life my home my family

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