Brashear City

                        Camp Reno, March. 20^th, 1863

 

Frank, my boy we have had orders to march god only knows I dont nor no one But the head officers some think we are going to port hudson But I think we are going down the Railroad where the Rebels are marching tha say a large army to the railroad to Burn the Bridge & I think we shall have a hard Batle thear part of the Regement go tonight and we go in the morning our cooks had orders to cook three days Rations for ous this afternoon I think we shall have a battle write oft as we are going further on the acount of the three days Rations being cooked never mind a bout me I will look after number one only you be a good Boy I will come out all wright take good advisce from yore mother and sister Remember the advises I wrote you Before that is all I have got to say now I shall close this letter till the cars arive with the mail for I might git a letter to night from you. we start eny moment I got to stop writing now if I have time when the mail comes I write this in a hurry excuse everything tell mother good By for for me, and all that enquire after me I shall Be all wright I shant git kild Eliza, ann, Mary. A. Delia, an Frank my Boy no more from your father             Asa Holmes

 

March 22th 1863

Bayou Boeff

 

we are here the whole Brigade Retreted Back seven miles left Brasher City fort and dismounted the calvary and took them with ous it was all done in the night sutch a time I cant discribe we expected to meet the Rebels thean we got news that tha was crosing the river A bove Bayou Boeff to cut ous off from eny retreat this is an important to save the Rail Rode Bridge the Rebels retreted Back to franklin thear head quarters it was a grate site to see seven thousand men in motion and caverley an Batery and Bagiage wagons to to here we are on the Bank of the River in camp Both sides of the Rail Rode I dont know how long we shall stay here tha think Rebels come down this river river yet with a large forse and atack ous tha will pain hard if tha do I cant write the perticklers now I aint time now I got charles letter the 20 day of march also a paper tha say thear will be another vesil in to morrow with the maill Frank you must write plainer and Better you must write at home and have your mother show you dont forgit this write one day at home and write to me every week and that will learn you to write

 

inn full            Asa Holmes                Asa Holmes

SOURCES