July ^th7 1863

Shore Planes[?] five miles from Port Hudson La.

 

Dear Mother & Richard

                                    I received your Cind letter last night I was very glad to here from you but sory to here that your health is poor for that is the best blessing we cane engoy on Earth my health is very good at presant thank God for it you must not think it hard when I do not write often for we cane not allwais write when we want to as we cane not allwais get paper & some times we do not have a chance to send the mail to New Orleans I wrote to you the 19^th of June the reason I did not write sooner the said that the mail would not leave New Orleans ontill port Hudson was taken but I wated long as long as I could then I rote to you hoping / It mite go thrue. Our Baragade ware in front of the Rebels fortafactions for 26 days Scirmishing and keeping the Rebels from coming out we have not lost many killed in our Regt onley four or five killed & seven or eight wounded Our Regtment with the 30 Mass moved out the 17 of June to whare we are incamped now we are out here dowing guard duty to keep the Rebels from atecting us in the Rear I would rather be here then to be in front of the fortafactions we have no Cloase with us onley what we have on our backs & when our Shirts & Socks gets durty we wash them and go without them to they get dry. port Hudson is very strongley fortified and our men has no chance at them as they cane get behind there Rifle pits we have ben Burnbarding for all most two months we have tried / to take it by storm once but the massed there forces & we had to fall back but there provisions is geting scarce I think we will starve them out before long. Dear Mother I have not ben in any hand to hand battel yet but but I have dodged the Bullets and Shells & have had to ly cloce to the ground to keep out of the way of them. it is purty warm weather down here we cane get along very well when we do not have to march but when we march we have to have our acquipments on and it makes it very warm for us. I reseaved aletter from you the 17 of May & I answerd it the 19 of June you said that Andrew Devitt was dead I was very sory to here of his death. your letter that was dated came last night was dated June the 14. things is very hy here they know that they / cane get any price they ask of the Soldiers butter is from 50^cts to 60^cts cheese the same Milk 20^cts a Quart Peaches dried 20^cts Tea 80 I manage to buy some of the above things I get the officers to get them when they draw there Rations at the Commisserys they come a little Cheper we have lots of coffe & shuger to sweaten it & some times we draw tea but I like the Tea the best we draw plenty to eat but you know I like a change once and a while no more at presant hoping hoping the next time I write our troops will ocipy Port Hudson

 

Dear Mother & Richard I send my kind love to you and do not be anesy about me hoping that this ware will soon close I remain as as ever your Son

                                                                                                William

(Direct as before)

SOURCES