July the 3^th 1863

 

Absent friend after my best respects to you I am well at this time and I hope that those few lines will find you in the enjoyment of the same great blessings I received your kind letter a few days ago and I was truly glad to hear from you I have nothing of verry great importance to wright this time as we do not get to hear verry mutch we are still in the rear of vicksburgh and we have got the rebs in the pen yet and they are not likley to get out verry soon the rebs hoisted a flag of truce this morning but they have takeing it down again and they have gone to fighting again I have not heard what they wanted but our men thinks that they are agoing to surrender which I hope they will for I would like to get in the city

 

this is the fourth of July and we are in possession of vicksburgh the rebs has surrendered our men marched in to the city this morning but our regiment did not go in we have got orders to march to the rear at 5 oclock this eavening with five days / rations in our haversacks and 1,50 rounds of cartridges I understand that we have taken 23,000 prisners at this one place if that be the case we have taken about 30,000 since we started on this expadition I will have to close as I have not time to right mutch this time as you wanted to know the particulars about J Zedeker I will say that I did not see him after he was shot but the lieutenant see him and he said that he was shot through the back part of the head he lived about three hours after he was shot

 

nothing more at present but remain your friend

E W W Brothers

Mis Sophia Rummel

 

please write soon

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