Camp near Bear Creek, Miss

Aug the 1^st

/6[paper hole]

 

                        Dear Cousin

                                                                                                Your very [paper hole] letter bearing date of July 5^th was rec'd nearly a week ago but we have been fixing up our new camp we have been prety busy and I have been a little under the wether for a couple of days but am all right again now.

 

            You say in your letter that you have the news of the fall of Vicksburg that news must have been goton bogus for the place did not surender till the 4^th and the news could not have got up the River in so short a time I am glad it is gone up for various reasons. it gives us possession / of the Mississippi River to the Gulf it [faded] out the confedderacy indeed. we have distroyd one of their best armies, for they will not be able to [paper hole] a quarter of the Vicksburg prisoners to fight again, and besides it gives us a little rest after so long and tiresome seige. it is now over 8 months since we left Memphis for Vicksburg with Gen Sherman's unsusessfull expedition and since then we have seen some prety rough times. we have been in 5 heavy fights and some of the worst of marches through the worst of country's most of our marching has been done during the hot wether and May June & July is a little different in Louisiana and Mississippi than it is up north. we have had very little rain since we left Millikens bend till we got / here there is a great deal of here we are 3 or four miles from the Big Black River and it is a great place for Rain & thunder storms near that [paper hole] Our last expidition to [paper hole] was the worst one yet we had one man die of fever 2 wounded and 9 of the men was taken prisioners while forageing.

 

            But I think that thing's begin to look a little more favorable than they have for some time our department is prety well cleaned out and not much more fighting to do in it I suppose we will go farther down the river the next move we make.

 

            The Boats are now runing to New Orleans which is a thing they have / not been able to do since the war broke out. I hope the eastern army will keep things all right now [faded] have generaly lost all the advantage that the western army have gained but I have got more confidence in them now than ever but I think if Grant & Sherman had been there Lee would have had another fight before he got away they would have tried them to s— if they was there. I don't get a letter from Thad yet he is the worst correspondent I have got. but I must close so give my love to all and write soon. remember me to Mrs Gifford and write soon to your loving Couisin

                                                                                    H. Roberts

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