images of letter greatly enlarged
Camp Sherman near black river August 5th 1863
Dear Uncle
withe pleasure I now attempt to write you a few
lines to let you know how we are geting along
down here I thought I had got wel when I left
Memphis but comeing down the river I took the
dierrhea and I cant get it cured and James has had
it for two months Charles J Dilts died while we
was out at Jackson withe the same this is the
warmes place that I ever saw it is more than warm
I have not had a letter from you since in May but
that paper you sent came verry good it came to
us while we was out at Jackson and we had not
had a paper for two weeks and mos all the regt.
had it to read it is sealdom that we get a paper
and when we do the cost 25 cts
I wish you could see Vicksburg it is the darndest
looking place that I ever saw and then them caves
that you here of they are dug in the bluff the
entrance just large enough for one person to get in
at a time there is bluffs there that are 30 ft. strait up
and down it would make aney man laugh to see
them and Jackson is plaid out the best of it is
spoiled there was some splendid buildings there
the State house was not burned but the States
prison was there was machienry in there to make
almost aney thing that the rebs wanted there has
been considerable of talk about brakeing the
backbone of the rebellion wel if it is not broke
now I think there is bone in the belly of the cursed
thing and we will have to brake it before we can get
to the backbone I donot think it wil last longer than
next spring there is about half of the regt. sick we
was once withe in five mile of the 25 Iowa but I was
not wel so did not go to see Uncle Burk I hird from
home not long since they are all wel I cannot here
where Mar_an is I donot think there is aney such a
battery as they say he is in for I cannot finde aney
one in the army that ever saw it or hird of it if this
army is cept here this Summer there wil more men
die than the rebs has ever killed in aney engagement
wel I wil bring this to a close hopeing to here from
you soon yourse verry respectively
John T. Williamson
to his Uncle E. Williamson
|