In camp near New Orleans, La.

Sept. 24^th 1863.

 

                                                                                                            My Dear Wife,

                                                                                                                        Our long contemplated movement I guess will not be delayed but a few hours longer. At 10 o'clock last night we rec'd orders to get ready to march against midnight. Then such a scuttle you never did see: but 12 o'clock to-day finds us all calm, and still in the old camp. We are now ready to move in one hour's notice and are only awaiting the command—strike tents, pack knapsacks, fall in, shoulder arms, right face, forward march.

 

            We have all been badly fooled about the place of our intended destination; for we now have the information that we are to cross the River and go by rail road to Brasher City and from there march by land to Galveston, Texas. I do not know whether the information is correct or not, but it seems [paper hole] well authenticated that we are [paper hole] Gen. Grant is down [paper hole] he and Gen Banks reviewed [paper hole] 13^th Army Corps. / The Heroes of Vicksburg and Port Hudson made a splendid appearance riding along the lines and they were rec'd by the troops with every mark of honor that could be made appropriate to the grand occasion.

 

            Our Reg. rec'd a large mail yesterday but no letter came for me. Cooney rec'd a letter from Melissa dated the 15^th ult. Cooney and Charley are still on the sick list but Dave and Frank are quite stout, and as for myself I can say that I am as stout and hearty as a government mule.

 

            This is probably the last chance I will have of writing to you before we move and it will likely be two or three weeks after we start before I will have the opportunity of mailing another letter, so you must not feel any anxiety about not hearing from me for a while.

 

            In a month or two I would like for you and Olie to have your miniatures taken on a plate about the size of the old case I have, and send it to me.

 

            Dear Loo, for the present I must bid you good bye, and [paper hole] subscribe myself [paper hole]

 

                                                Your [paper hole] husband,

                                                                                    [paper hole] Reed /

 

P.S. Two hours later.

            We have rec'd orders to cook three days rations; so I guess we will start this afternoon certain. The 1^st Division is moving now and as we belong to the 2d Division, our turn will come next.

                                                                                                            Enos Reed

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