Louisiana

                                                                                                                                    1863

                                                                                                Millikens Bend April 5^th

 

Dear Miriam

                        Our Regiment are still at Millikens Bend and do not know how long we will stay here. it is reported that we will not have anything to do with the capture of Vicksburg but we do not know and then there is a report that we will be sent to the rear of Vicksburg and again it is reported that we will go to Texas I think that likely as not that the last report is as near the truth as any thing else. as far as I am concerned as I am in the army and likely to be cut off from all communication from home I would as soon go to Texas as any other place There was a little kind of an alarm here last night but it did not amount to anything there / was adetail to our company for eight men and asargeant that had to go out on picket guard last night about nine oclock the reason of that was there was some troops left here yesterday and some of their men were on picket they took their men in and did not have any more sent out it was reported last night that the rebels were marching on us at this place but I do not think there is any foundation for the report. I was out on picket guard one day last week I like picket better than post guard they do not stand but an hour at atime I will tell you what kind of aplace it is that I stood it was right in the edge of acane break canes such as we use to fish with and they are so thick that it is nearly impossible to get through them at all and there are dry canes all through and it would be impossible for anyone to come through without giving the alarm to the pickets. The brigade surgeon says / that he believes that peace will be declared in four weeks I do not believe any such thing but would be verry happy if his prophecy should prove true to return home to leave you no more until death shall separate us If I should be so fortunate as to get home again I would never go into the army again unless I should get to be acommissioned officer. The weather is pretty warm here now and I expect that after while it will nearly dry us up we are all sunburned now until we are nearly black the nights are pretty cool The health of our regiment is pretty good now Louis Nichols is still weekly and does not gain strength verry fast I got aletter from Gilbert Young last night he is still at Murfreesboro and says that there some men wounded there that did not get their wounds dressed for two days after it was done and he had to dress them that is some of them himself he is staying in the hospital / as nurse and is well but not able to march verry far on acct of his leg that ahorse kicked before he left home Sol Adcock got here afew days ago from the twenty sixth he said that George was verry sick then with the fever and had gone to the hospital I would have written to George but am out of stamps I have received only one letter from you since I left home that one was dated the twentyeth of March you must write to me verry often as I am more lonesome than ever since the death of Eddy you must not grieve over his loss more than you can help remember that our loss is his eternal gain that he has gone to the land of rest where sickness and sorrow pain and death are felt and feared no more We can hear the cannon thunder at Vicksburg sometimes you must write to me verry often there is nothing of importance going on here now Nothing more but remain your

 

affectionate husband until death

            H. B. Drake     M. E. Drake    Send me some stamps as this is the last I have got

SOURCES