Mempihs Tenn Dec 10^th 18/4

 

Dear Frind

                        I recived your kind leter I am well at present I have jest return from that raid that I wrote in my last leter to you We done what we was sent for We done a great deal of damage to the Rebles we burnt a Big Bridge a cros the Big Black But we had to fite Be fore we got the Bridge But we lick the Rebles and drove them away from the Bridge And Burnt it This Bridge was on the Miss Centril Rail Road and destroyed a Bot frteen miles of the trak /

 

And destroyed a station two engines and fore car and lots of cotton and rebels rations Then we return to yazoo stayed thare to days and Be fore we left this place the curnel sent out a Bot six hundrid of our regment and abot the same of all the regments But our was unlucky we fond the Rebles and fought them But thay was to strong fore ous sow we had to retreat the major got woned in his leg we lost twenty five out of our regment this was sent out to find whare the Rebles was the major had orders to not fite them But he like a fool went in to them and we got lick By it The curnel knew that thay was to meny fore ous The rebles thought thay had ous rite But our old curnel was to smart fore them thay was a Bot twenty five hundird of ous and the Rebles thay was fifteen hu Thousand of them We return / to yazoo and crost the river that nite went down the yazoo to sun flower and got on transports and went to Vicksburg The transports what save this litle Band the rebles had ous puty tite But Curnel Osband was to smart fore them soon as we got to Vicksburgh we was orded to Memphis Tenn all of our Brigade is all here thare is a gowing to Big thing here or in this state either afite or a Big foot race Thar is a Bot 60 thousand trups here sow I will Bring my leter to a close drect you letter to Memphis Tenn

 

                                                                                                remain yours truly

                                                                                                            John Hawley

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