Camp Near Vicksburg

                                                                                                Sunday March the 22 1863

 

              Dear wife

I take this opportunity of a gain writing to you in answer to yours of the 6 of March I was glad to hear from you all once mor and to hear that you were all well I am well at present and hope these lines may find you all well I havent much to write I just wrote a letter a few days ago but I thought I should answer your letter you said the Secesh was plenty their I believe they will take Mo this season and cause terrible times there but I cant help it I believe I am broke up any how so I recon they wont worst me much unless they take all that you and the children have to eat my debts running on interest it will eat up all I am worth /

 

as for peace all prospects is played out for the present there has not been enough fighting yet to satisfy the radicals I dont hardly ever get any papers to know how the thing is going as for fighting to free the negroes if I thought I was fighting perposly to free the negroes i would wear the ball and chain like some are all ready doing we have two men balled for trying to disert and two more drumed out of service I believe the war will last this year any how from the present prospects well Terzah I am better satisfied now than I was some time back we dont have such hard times as we did while it rained so so much but I dont know how long it will last I think that our gun boats burned port warrenton last night Just before night there was tremendious heavy cannonadeing in in that direction and last night a a big light in the same direction / Port warrenton is 12 miles below Vicksburg it is verry animating to hear the gunboats bombard a port I was sorry to hear of so much sickness there but it was sickly everry where I believe Sherrill is well and warren was sent up the river sick and I havent heard from him since when one dies that is sent off the captain is notafied that is the only way that we hear from them I received your postage stamps and was glad to get them for they sell at 15 cts a piece here as for selling Simon use your own pleasure there is 1.55 cts due John Nickless on that I thought I had told you I forget what his work came to it is set down I want you to pay him as soon as you can I want all of my debts payed as soon as they can be as for Mr tate I payed him while I was at rolla I would send you money enough to pay all my little debts if I had the chance mabe I will get the chance soon /

 

as for fathers letter I havent never got it well dear wife you said that you dident want me to disert but you would like for me to come home if we could live as we use to but that is it I dont want to disert nor I dont think I will I couldent live at home if I were there and where could I go to live in peace until this war is over I recon I had as well be in the army as laying in the brush as some are doing there is no one that wants to be at home any worse than I do if I could stay at home I would never left I am now in the service if I wasent in I dont believe that I would go in now but ma be it is the best some are yet diserting I dont want to have it throwed up to my children 50 years after I am dead that their father was a diserter from the united states service I will wear the ball and chain first I hope that I will live to see peace made and get home to live with you and the children

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