Grand Core Red River La.

in the field       April 17^th/64

Kind friend ‘Stranger’

 

                                                                                                            Sunday Afternoon

I will attempt to answer your letter I received your an hour ago. be asured I was well pleased to hear from you I did not expect to hear from the Civilised World up here in the wilds of La oh! it is so lonesome here not A house to be seen nothing to be seen but tall pine trees and Soldiers also plenty of Rebs. we had two severe engagements with the Enemy in the first they got the better of us in the second we got the better of them I will mention A few facts conserning the engagements the first we had 5,000 Cavelry 3,500/Infantry 4 Batterys 31 cannon in all. making our force about 9,500. the Rebs force was estimated at 24,000. the fight lasted from 10 Oclock in the morning untill one hour after dark. our loss was 3,000 killed wounded & missing. the prisoners we took the next day said their loss must have been double ours Gen Banks ordered A retreat at 11 oclock in the evening we fell back 16 miles to a plain called Pleasant Hill. there we made A stand. at 10 O’C the Rebs maid their apperance skirmishing commenced and at 3 Oclock they opened fire on us but we had been reinforced by the 16^th A. Corps. 10,000 strong and we was ready for them we fo done our duty every one to A man but the Rebs fought more like Devils than men (they had gun powder & Whiskey and it made them/more like mad men than sane) they came up in column af column with yells hopeing to drive us into A panic or scare us but we wer not so easily scart. they was repulsed at every attempt. the Battle lasted untill Darkness stoped the dreadfull slauter. we then picked up the wounded and got them off the field of Battle. the Rebs maid their retreat leaving their dead & wounded on the field. our loss was 940 all total. they left on the field between 3 & 4,000 killed. 20 or 2500 wounded how many they carrid away with them we do not know. we left the field of Battle the next morning and retreated to whear we are now 50 miles in order to get suplies for we had scarce any thing to eat for three days. I do not know what we will do now/prehaps I have written enough war news at preasant. If I live to converse with you face to face I will give you a full detaile of all my Adventures while in the armey you spoke of your Brother I wish you would give me the number of his Regt Co. Brig. & Division as it might be in the chances of war we might meet while in the Armey. you said Hattie had arrived when you wrote tell her I would be thankfull if she would write to me. I wrote you A letter in reply to yours that contained your picture when I was at Alaxandria I think I mentioned something about Hattie in that. you must exert all of your patiance untill I have the opportunity of getting my picture taken. it certainly is not my fault be asured you will be troubled with it as soon as I can get it taken. I was verry glad to receive yours and have carried it in my pocket ever since. I hope this cruel war will soon be at an end so that the soldiers can return to their friends.

I am your sincere well wisher &c

                                                                        Stephen A. Matthews

I will endever to make better work writing next time. excuse me this time

Pleas write soon          Stephen

Direct as before

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