images of letter slightly enlarged
In Camp at Iuka Mississippi
Oct. 22nd. 1863
Dear Uncle [Enoch Williamson]
your letter came to hand several
days since but we was moveing consequently I
could not write we left Camp Sherman the 28 of
Sept and was two days going to Vicksburg
[Mississippi] and got on a boat and was 11 days
going to memphis [Tennessee] and have been 10
days comeing here. the river is about as low as it
ever gets James [Williamson] marched as far as
La Grange [Tennessee] and then got on the cars
and came through and found the 55th. and Josh
[Benton] gave him their things and withe them
some butter whitch came verry good to us we
got in one night after dark and they left the next
morning before day but Scat Brown and I went
over to see the boys but the baus said that Josh
[Benton] was asleep and did not wake him up
Phird this morning that they we[re] at Tuscumbia
Ala and was going on I expect it wil be some time
before we see them again we are verry thankful
to you and Aunt for them things we are living
fine now we have some beets and dryed peaches
and soft bread and onions So you se it is good
feed for a soldier and we are all in better health
than we was when we was on blackriver this is
a healthy place we have good water there is
quite a curiosity here there is seven springs and
differant water in every one of them we donot
know how long we will stay here but I think not
long for Brag is to be whiped and I think we wil
have to help do it James [Williamson] is about
wel again and wil be entierly well in a few days
George sent us some things by John Brown but
we have not got them and I think we neve will but
if he had have done as he had aught to we would
have got them I wish that we had such a chaplain
as Heaney he is worth something
there was little fight at Collier Ville a fieu days a go
and a fort of the 7th cavelry was engaged in it and
Eloias Miner was taken prisner
now a little a bout the election the Iowa Troope
got to vote and the 6th Inft. is in our brigade and
they Voted the vote was this for Tuttle 7. all the
rest voted for Stone and that is a bout the way it
wil go withe him Some regte. wil give him more
votes of course for ther is some regimente from
Iowa that is not worth mutch but the 6th is a good
regt. and they all thaught wel of Tuttle until he
attempted to ride into office on a copperhead you
remem be th 46th Ohio regiment the one that run at
Shilo you would expect them to do as mutch for
Valandingham and aney regiment wel they are in
our brigade and we know how they voted thay gave
Vala. 9 Votes all the res was union So you see
copper is not valued mutch in the army I expect we
will not be allowed to Vote next faul but if old Abe
gets the nomination he wil be the next President for
he the man to settle this Mus. and I want Yates for
govaner a gain for he is the Soldiers friend he has
done more for Soldiers than aney othe goveiner in
th U.S. and we want him again I know he gets drunk
but there is no man in Ills [Illinois] that would do
for Soldiers what he wil do and I am afraid that U.S.
Grant wil get the nomination for President I donot
think I would vote for him Old abe is my choice
and Lovejoy for Vice President John W. Myers is
down here he came down to se Nute he looks just
as he used to wel I wil close as James wants to writ
some hoping to here from you again son I reman
as eve you
Nephiew
John T. Williamson
to E. Williamson
Iuka Missippi Oct '63
Dear uncle
as John was writing i thought i would write you a fiew
lines i am well at presant we have got out of the
wilderness near Vickesburg [Mississippi] this is a
healthey fort of the Confederessacy Ive have just
sereved martching orders to be ready to start in the
morning i do not now whare we will go i here that
the division of our army Corps was in a fight
yesterday and i think that we are a going to reinforse
them we have reseved those things that Aunt sent us
we got here the day be fore the 55th regt. left here i
think that Grant will clean the rebbels out of this fort
in a short time there is a call for 800,000 [?] more
men sow thare will be one nother chance for
volunteers i do not [think] that thare will be enny
troubble in raiseing them for if they hant a mint to
volunteers thare is one nother method for fetching
them up to Iowa the election from Ohio and Iowa
aught to play out the copperheads in Illnoins i have
now more to write a bout at presant write soon
i remain as ever Lee
J. Le. W
E Williamson
[note: copperheads were Northerners who sympathized
with the South]
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