Omega Landing La.

Aug. 2^nd 1864.

 

M^r W^m O. Albright

 

            Dear Sir

                                    Your long looked for but much welcomed letter of the 19^th came to hand this morning and and was read and reread with much interest and I can assure you I was very glad to hear from you and happy to learn that you are enjoying such good health and enjoying yourself as well as you are especialy among the Fair and glad to hear that you have such good success in conducting your skirmishing and picket posts although outside the military seine. But should you wish a military commander in advance along the outskirts I am / just the man you want and through immediate application by telegraph I will forthwith take command at a distance and will insure you to give good satisfaction But enough of this for the presant.

 

            Your letter finds me enjoying very good health at preasant and enjoying myself as well as can be expected under the preasant circumstances and inconveniencies in these times of war and rebelion, hot weather and old Marmadukes Batteries and a lazy soldiers life and I hardly know which trouble us the most. The weather is very warm and sultry about the same as it was last summer when you were with us only more disagreeable as we are running nearly all the time and most of the time transporting troops and almost every trip we make either up or down we are fired into by Marmaduke some where along the river between Goodriches Landing and the mouth of the White River. And Adams between Grand Gulf and Natchez and / under these dificulties we are having a prety warm time. We spent the 4^th of July fighting with Wort Adams and had quite a hot day of it and came out second Best. Lost one man killed and three wounded none of our C^o But we made a grand retreat to the Boats the fight took place at Port Gibson some 12 miles from the river and since then they fired into our Boats at Grand Gulf. And this time they done the retreating but they retreated in good order just as sheep would do when closely persued by a lot of hungry wolves

 

            And on last thrusday morning as we were comeing down from memphis (having taken a load of troops from Vicksburgh to that place.) And as we came down near Ashton Old Marmaduke fired into us with 10 pieces of artilery But we succeded in running by and only receiving one shot through our Boat and no one hurt. the Fairchild received 7 shots through her without any cerious damage. And the diana run through unharmed a lucky thing for the M.M.B. / And since then we have transported a load of troops down to Morganza La 12 miles below the mouth of Red river and just arived here yesterday evning But how long we will remain or where will be our next expidition. But I hope there will be no more troops to transport.

 

I believe I have nothing more of interest to write to you at this time as I am not very well posted in regard to the news or war matters away from the Mississippi river. private news is very scarce with us, and as for General news we have more than we want.

 

            The Boys are all prety well in the Company and geting along as well as can be expected and they all join in sending their complements and Best regards to you John Horn is still knocking around and able for his hard tacks and S—B—y he rec'd a letter from you a short time since and answered it a few days since he sends his best wishes to you. Doctor Roberts and Staff are now on board the Autocrat the Woodford being sunk and burned while on that Expidition up the Red River last spring. I close

 

Write soon, Excuse poor writing. Yours truly            J. M. Robb

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