Homes’s Plantation

                                                                                                            April 17^th 1863

 

Dear Miriam

                        I received your kind letter dated April 5^th this is the second letter that I have got from you since I left home they are like angels visits few and far between I have not had time to answer before this as we were just getting ready to march the first day we marched twelve miles and yesterday eight. In your letter you talk of never seeing me again you must not harbor such thoughts as that in your mind as I have great faith and hope that God in his mercy will permit us to meet again while we travel through this vale of tears You must not think about what I have to go through as I am young stout and fully able to endure the hardships of asoldiers life the first days march went pretty hard with us all but I stood it as well as any man in the regiment we are on our way to Carthage aplace about 20 / miles from Vicksburg down below on the river why we are taken there we do not know but suppose that we will be sent in behind Vicksburg when our forces make an attack on that place we fare better on amarch than we do in camp as we pass plantations that belonged to rich planters that are now in the secesh army and we take everything that will do to eat in the shape of hogs cattle poultry honey potatoes and every thing else that we can lay hands on and the boys press horses to carry their knapsacks on I will be all right when we start on amarch again as I went out this morning to aplantation and caught a verry nice two year old stud colt and brought in it was wild as adeer when I first got hold of it but I have got it to lead verry well and I had anigger about fifteen years old to ride it this morning when he first mounted it threw him off pretty hard but he got on and rode it I will press anigger to ride it and carry my knapsack the place we are now camped on is aplantation owned by aman named Hones / he is now a General in the secesh army there are cribs of corn on the plantations holding thousands of bushels acorn that is used by the soldiers we have heard heavy canonading to day where it was at we do not know the grass is about afoot high in our camp the country is so low here that the planters have to build levys to prevent the water from overflowing their plantations the water is higher fifty yards from where camped than our camp ground is it is in the bayous and is banked in. We drawed our money to day and preacher Johnson is coming home to bring the money home we drew four months pay fifty two dollars and I drew seven dollars and fifty cents extra pay for hospital duties I will send you forty seven dollars and want you to keep what you want and spend the balance as you see proper. I have paid my sutler bill and paid Capt Colby for those pants I guess I will close you must not think of Eddys death too much Tell Ma I am in good health and good spirits if we are successful at Vicksburg I think / our regiment will be sent north and then you can come and see me the trouble about your coming here is you would have no way to go as you could not walk answer Caroline Gulicks letter as you think proper and send me her letter and your answer nothing more but remains your affectionate

husband until death H B Drake

M. E. Drake

 

                        P.S. Tell Ewel to write to me and give my respects to all are they going to conscript in bond county write all particulars and verry often

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