Arcansas post Jan 13 1863

 

Dear Father Mother and Sis I am well at present and hope you are the same we are encamped in a Rebbel fort about 40 miles up the arcansaw river after our bad luck at VicksBurg we came back and went up the arcansaw river last saturday in the afternon we attacted the rebbels in there rifel pits and drove them back to there fortifications by that time it was dark and we rested till sunday afternon when we agane attacted them by land and with the gun boats the fighting was hard till about 5 oclock when they surrendered we marched into the fort and took them prisoners there was 7 regiments of them along in the night 3 regiments more came to reinforce the rebs and we caught them without firing a gun there was five nice canons and one larg 120 pounder the / large one was spoilt by ashell from our gunboats

 

to day the prisoners have been put abord the boats I donot know what will be done with them

 

I received aletter from home the 4^th an was glad to here you was all well yesterday I received another dated Dec 28^th you wanted to know if I had seen Porter Fosket I have he is first Lieutenant in Co B Mr Atkinson is in Co H Wheeller Harrington and a number of the other Camp Cleveland boys re in Co G with me you wanted to know how I liked the Country down here not very well there is to many swamps to sute me the soil here where we are is almost like that out in MiddleBurg the weather is warm as summer here I spent my Christmas on picket and my New Years in the rifle pits at VicksBurg not averry pleasznt place I tell yu evry time we locked over the top of them the / Rebbels would shoot at us it wa dangerous to be safe I tell you

 

you wanted to know what we have to eat I will tell you we have hard and bacon coffee and sugar enough so we get along I have not slept under a tent since we left Memphis but I gues we will have our tents here now I have not heard from Erwin since I came from Cleveland

 

Mr. Wheeler sais tell you he is all rite although the balls came clost to him he managed to escape unhurt he says give his respects to Belle and all the rest of the folks I cant think of any more so goodby

                                                                                                                        N J F

SOURCES