Baton Rouge La March 26^th 1863

 

My Dear Mother

                                    I received your letter yestarday dated March the 8 and I was very glad to here from you my health is midling good. we expected to have abattel at Port Hudson we was ordet to march the 14 we marched 11 miles in the four noon then we encamped we ware with in six miles of Port Hudson Our gunn Boats shelled the forts and most of them past by up the river there was one gunn Boat got a ground opisite the fort and our men had to set fire to hir to keep hir from the Rebels she was as good a Boat as we had Banks said he acompleshed all he entended to we marched back five miles the next day / towards Baton Rouge to whare there there is a Bio we laid a Pontoon Bridge encamped there to wedensday then we left there wedensday noon and marched to Baton Rouge left our nap sacks and take our ruber Blankets & over coats and got on board the steamer and sailed up the river to with in three miles of Port hudson on the opside side our gunn Boats shelled them some but they would not reply Our mortar Boats lays with a mile of the forts I think there intention was to pass Port Hudson on the opside and Blockade the Bead river our Bragade come back this morning Dear Mother we have not seen any Battels yet but we have expected them. grass is quite greene / here now Peaches is as big as birds eggs I received a letter from Samul and Margrett and Jennie one from Maria Barker one from Henry Moore So you see I got a good deel of news at wonce by the way we got a good many Cattel & mules on our last excursion I whist you could get all the shuger and malasses that is wasted on the Plantations Dear Mother I cane not think of any thing to write to you we have not received any pay yet I take as good care of my self as I cane I send my respects to Uncel John & Aunt Isabella & the Children I also send my respects to Richard & James and your self no more at Presant but remember your son

 

                                    William

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