Near Port Hudson, June  5^th        1863

 

                        Dear Parents

                                                I endeaver to answer your kind letters of May 3^d 10^th also one of May 20^th I was sorry to get the news that Ellen was dead it took me at first but it is something I have expected to hear the news before this I heard she was a getting better I thought if she was of course she would get well but it is all for the best she is better off now than to live & suffer as she did she was young & in girlhood we are all apt to die we know not what minute the Lord will call for us the way is / be ready & waiting I suppose it was hard for you to lose her but not as hard as if though you had not expected her to live what would you think to hear of my death it is not known how long I will live I am not afraid to die I have been under heavy fire of cannon I was a little afraid at first but I soon got over it the balls would plough up the ground all around us cut down trees & such whizing you never heard I never thought they did blat right out. I thought all of the blatting was done on the men but I found it was the stillest time I ever seen in the comppany there was not a word spoken in the whole fireing the first time it lasted a / about 2 hours we were a supporting a battery we lay with in about 30 feet from the gun there was not none of the regiment killed or wounded we silansed the rebles & they fled in a mass our side loosing 7 killed & 8 wounded at 1 Oclock we were attacked by the rebles they had a battery placed about a half a mile from this place we were supporting the battery & the rebles put in a cross fire on our regiment we lay on the ground as close as we could the balls would go over us in every direction when if we had of been standing up we would of been cut to pieces in the mean time there was sharpshooting between the infantry between the 48 Massichusetts & / rebles the rebles were in ambush waiting for our folks our folks got whiped & then the 116 N.Y. advanced driving the rascals before them takeing a large number prisoners takeing back those they took of ours & then taking back the 48 flag we lost about 50 the rebles about the same number they brought in a flag of truce to bery the dead it was granted untill 11 Oclock we are now very near the rebles breast works at for hudson we have not got the place yet but we will have it in a few days I get along first rate with the cooking I do not have to go on picket all I have to do now is to cook & take to the camp I will not have to go in

 

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battle right off they have given orders to leave the cooks behind why when they came here they left the cooks in rear 8 miles I used to come & fech something to eat morning & night I am well as usuall & as as possible & I hope these few lines will find you the same I suppose you have got that money I sent you & if you want more go to C & Jackson & call for what you want & when I get more I will send it to you so keep up good courage I will do all I can

 

Please tell the folks to excuse my not writing to them for I have had no chance & when I get back to BR & them I will write to all tell them to write I am well in good spirits. Please wright give my love to all                 From your son             F. Philp

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