Head Quarters Co. “A.” 26^th Ill Inft

                                                                        Oak Ridge Miss June 29^th 1863

 

Dear Sister Jennie

                                    Here we are just as happy as we can be. We have moved out here from Snyders Bluffs for the benefit of the people generaly about here & ourselves particularly, to assist the citizens here to gather their larg crops of Blackberries, Plumbs, Peaches, & Roasting ears.

 

            We moved from Snyders Bluff on the 23^rd & have been without our tents since that time the weather has been quite favourable for camping out, with the exception of the first night, when it drizelled all night & the Capt & I tryed to sleep under one Rubber Blk^t in the shade of a hickory tree, & we had quite an interesting time of it. I dont think I ever slept one hour during the night. the wether is quite warm, though not near so warm as I have seen it in Ills. the night it rained the water would gather in larg drops on the leaves & very frequently as I was lying on my back they would drop right plump in my eye. well that was not so pleasant as it might be then I would turn over on my side & lay there a few moments & one of those big/ drops would fall right in my ear & then I would turn again & so we spent the night.

 

            The night of the 25^th I was on Picket and such a time you never heard tell of. My possition was not an exposed one to the Rebels & there was but very little danger from them, but my line was on the top of a ridge between two Canebrakes & such a time as I had fighting Chickers Woodticks & muskeeters was never heard of before. I guess you are now wondering what Chickers are. well they are a little critter about as big as this O spot I have made in the circle they are very red & the first thing you know they are in under the skin & then when we begin to rub or scratch it raises a lump just like a very larg hive I think that night on Picket I had seven hundred & seventy-two thousand nine hundred & eight-seven on me & such a time as I have had rubbing & scratching.

 

            There wer plenty of larg fish & allegators in the Yazoo our Boyes frequently caught fish that weighed 40, 50 to 85 pounds, Alligators 8 & 10 feet long wer sometimes to be seen but generaly smaller ones, it was dangerous to go in the River to bathe on account of them. We came out here to try & draw Johnson in if possible/ But I guess he smells a mice.

 

We are about 15 miles from Vicksburg a little north of East. we are about 11 miles from the Black river. There is no danger of Johnson comeing in from this direction. This is the roughest country I ever saw. it is the first country I ever saw where there wer hills & no vallies. it is one continual roll of hills breaks gullies & cannons I have seen my first real canebrakes since we came down the River.

 

            I find a great many new flowers through the hills here but the finest of all flowers (& it grows in the woods here like the Oak & Hickory do where you live) is the Magnolia it is now in full bloom here & through this country there are frequent groves where nothing but them grow for miles the trees grow as larg as the Hickory do in Ohio. The bloom is 4 or 5 inches across & reminded me somewhat of the waterlilly, although the leaves are thick like wax. It is no uncommon thing in damp weather for these groves to scent the country for 6 or 7 miles around. If it is possible I will send you one of the flowers this summer

 

            On the boat I came down the river on was Capt Reed he used to work for/ the firm of Mason, Cook & Blaking about ten years ago. He married one of the Leedle girls I remembered her very well though I had forgotten him.

 

            I suppose you are all anxcious to hear that Vicksburg is ours on the 4^th day of July. well I dont think it will be but I will not be surprised to hear of it being taken any day we can hear them fireing their heaviest guns every day. Some of our Officers have been down to see what the fortifications looked like I was surprised to hear that their principal works of the Rebels are about two miles from the city

 

            We wer mustered into the service today by a regular Officer & the men are being payed off today for the months of March & Aprile. There is no more danger of the Rebels in Vicksburg escapeing than if the wer in Chicago. One of our boyes got off a good joke a few dayes ago down at Vicksburg It is a very common thing for our men & the Rebels to talk to each other when they are on Picket. a few dayes ago our men had not been shooting as much as usual & a Rebel hallowed over to one of our men & wanted to know what was the reason they had quit shooting. Yankey replyed Genl Grant had forbiden his men to shoot at prisoners. It is a very comon saying here that the Rebels in Vicksburg are our prisoners. I received a letter from Mr Tenny a few dayes ago. he sayes my mares have all nice colts this spring & they are all doing well. Owing to the high price of hands he has sowed down all on the north side of the creek in Timothy he has over/

 

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two hundred head of sheep & things generaly look well He is talking some of comeing down here to see me. We have considerable complaining here with Diareha there is but very little fever & no severe cases I have enjoyed the best of health since I have been down here I begin to think this three years will be nothing more than the means of hardening & seasoning of my system I appear to be stouter & in better health & more hardy than I ever was. Our two years are almost up & there are but few men in this who can say they have never missed a dayes duty in two years/

 

I am looking for your Photograph every day Did Minnie receive my last from Snyders Bluffs I was afraid it was captured on that mail boat that was captured at Cypress Bend.

 

I have given up all idea of comeing home before my time is up. Is Mary with you, have you heard from Dave lately

 

            Give my love to all & write when you have nothing else to do

                                                                                    Bro,

                                                                                                Noble

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