Millikens Bend Louisiana

                                                                                                            March 31^st 1863

 

Dear Miriam

                        I thought I would write you afew lines this afternoon to let you know that I am in camp again and in the land of the living. We left Memphis sunday morning at two oclock we went on board the boat friday afternoon and waited until sunday we the started for this place Millikens bend it is in the state of Louisiana on the river eighteen miles from Vicksburg the place we are camped in is averry low place and in wet weather verry wet but as it is now it is verry pleasant the woods are green and the locust trees are in bloom weeds are about knee high and everything looks like midsummer our mess are now divided in sleeping we have small tents / called wedge tents they are large enough for five men to sleep in verry conveniently we all cook together as usual Louis Nichols Wig Ingels an Tom Savage John Mires and myself sleep in one tent and Tom Ralph Sam Henry Ben and Fred Garrett and Pitts Powell in the other We got here yesterday evening but did not get off the boat until this morning we went to work and fixed up our tents and we are all right again We will not stay here more than two or three days as we are going on to try our hands at warfare where we are going we do not know the talk is that we are going to capture asmall town sixteen miles from here in this state called Richmond we do not know positively yet. I suppose the reason we are brough down here is to be convenient to Vicksburg when an attack shall be made on that place I guess we will get to feel the music then although we may not. The boys are mostly / well and in good spirits. everything is verry high here butter is sixty cents pr lb and cheese fifty cents and other things in proportion pies at twenty cents apiece Capt Harris is pretty sick it is billious fever the matter with him he is subject to billious attacks but is getting better I see Major Monroe Hubbard to day he looks verry well his hair is gray and I saw John McCaslin of beaver creek he looks well we have heard nothing of George Palmer yet. You must not be uneasy about me if you do not hear from me often I shall write often but as we have got so far out of the country the letters will not be apt to go every time and then we are in active service and may be on the march and have no opportunity to send letters I want you to write verry often as it will be agreat comfort to me to know that you and Ma are well I want you to send me the / paper that has Eddys death in it tell me if you have had his funeral preached and if so who did it you may as well have it preached if it has not been done as it verry uncertain when if ever I shall be at home if I am permitted to return home to you again and be free I will never leave you again When you answer my letter direct it to Co E 130^th Ills Vols via Cairo as it will then be sure to follow us up You must excuse my bad writing as I cannot write well Give my respects to all my friends that you see tell Ma not to be discouraged as all will work out well and you must not give up to despair Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband

until death

 

                        H. B. Drake

            M. E. Drake

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