October 12^th 1863

 

My Dear Mother

                                    I thought I would try and write you a few lines this morning to let you know that I ame well and I hope this will find you engoying the same blessing I would have writen before this time but we have ben marching all most every day since I last wrote to you we marched yestardy from a place called Virmillen Bridge distance from here about 12 miles we are chaceing the Rebs we expected they would make a stand at the Bridge but they burnt the Bridge our Artillery thrue a few shells over the Bayou and thay could not stand that they Rebs are gost like Indans in reguard to fiting they will not / meat us in the open field if they cane get behind a tree or some bank they cane fite very well. when we got near the Bridge day before yestardy our Bragade was a head the 116 NY deployed out as scirmishers and our Reg^t soported them the Rebs left and we soon got some timber down across the Bayou so that they Infentry could cross our Regt ware the first to cross we deploid out as pickets and Scirmishers and the shells had struck in the holow where the Rebs ware Coocking and eating and they left all there stuff as our Regt ware on picket we eat part of what the Rebs left I got a gun & a big spon & a bucher knife and all they honey we could eat and I had a chicken & corn meal & ho cake I had much for breckfest So you see we had fun eating what the Rebs left /

 

well Mother I sopose you would like to know where we are going. I think we will go to Texas before we stop. this is a very rich Countrey the Richist part of Louisana there is plenty of sweat Pottatos thrue here and they eat very well as we cane not get any Irish Potatos we have plenty of fresh meat and we live very very well Dear Mother I wist I could go home and make you a long visit but I do not see any chance to go in some time yet Some say that it will take six months to acomplish this Expedition from the time we started I do not know how many more there is in this Expedition but there is a good many Part of Gen. Grants troops is with us the weather is very fine here now which makes it very pleasant for us Soldiers /

 

Dear Mother and Richard I hope this will find you both engoying good health I will try and write as often as I cane as it will take a long while fore a letter to Reach you no more at presant but I hop this war will soone come to a close so that I cane go home and tell you what I saw down here amung the Rebs my best Respects to all

 

from your Son William

to his Mother Mary Haslett

 

(Direct as yousel)

SOURCES