Brashear City Camp Reno April 18, 1863

 

                                    Well Frank it is puty livelay times hear this morning I have jest come from the Railrode depo and the steamboat dock thear two gunboats two steam Boats & one transport steam vesil all of them are loding provision for the army & more solgears and A company of artillerry & horses & canons, six big ones all going oup the River to day I suppose our army will have posesion of the Red River Before long. tha are on the march for thear now tha took the salt works and ceap write on for Red River. the army was 75 miles from hear yesterday we dont git the perticklears of the dead and wounded and who was kild or wounded onley by chance nor we shante till the army stops and that I dont know when that will be or whear it will Be I have heard that warterman Ensworth was wounded in the hand I dont know how Bad he is A Crost the Bay from hear in the hospatle it was fixed for the wounded he got wounded the first days fights if our army gits posesions of Red River that cuts off all the Rebels suplys & provisions cuts them off from every thing that is thear main Rout to vicksburg from texas it ma Be our army will follow that River to the misissipa god onley knowes i dont I know one thing tha are on the march and hafter fight thear way through as tha go the 114^th Regt has Benn telling all the while tha wants A fight with the Rebels I gess tha are satisfide on this march tha have Benn ten day now on the march and fiting A Bout every day sence tha started from Brashear City. 3 oclock I have jest got to my tent puty tieard I have Ben to the depo & steam Boat Dock A Bout two hours to see the rebels prisnors on load from the steam Boat witch came down A Bout noon with four hundred Rebels Rebels prisnors tha marched them oup side of the Railrode & put A gard all around them till the cares start for new orleans tha take all prisnors thear that tha Bring here I dont know what way the army will take on the Red River whither it will Be towards the missipa or into texous some say so But tha dont knoe more A Bout it than I do no one knowes But general Banks and his officers whear tha are going it would not do for them to know—solgear I mean. look on the map and you will find Red River and you will see what direction it runs threw texas & Louisania for I dont know for I aint seen A map eaven to A almanack sence I started from oxford & and mutch more think if praing as Leonard Sead he hope I woud return a christion god onley knowe I was always A christion none of these Sunday christions I was every day christions when tha say I hope I will stop April 19^th nothing from the army this morning the Bigist part of the wounded are at franklin 20 miles from hear and the Bigist part of the Rebels prisnors are thear two the Boats have all left for Red River onley one steam Boat is left hear                        Asa Holmes

 

I say once more thear four months pay due me and you must git it if dont return Again and the Bounty $75.00

 

Frank be careful with that gun I say once more

                                                Asa Holmes

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