MS 707 - Andrew Altman Papers Transcripts (1863)
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Title | MS 707 - Andrew Altman Papers Transcripts (1863) |
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June 25, 1863June the 25th 1863 - Camp near vixburg. Missippi My Dear father it is with great Pleasure that I sit down to tell you how i are. I have the ague 2 or 3 times, but I hope that these fiew lines may finde you all well and harty. the Regt. got orders to march and have gon a bout 3 days a go. I do not know where they are or how long they will stay out. the talk was old Joseph Jonson was a crossing Big black river a coming in our rear and they went out to stop him of it. they are still a siege ing vixburg yet day and night. our men dismounted one of the rebs big guns yesturday after noon. night be fore last the rebs triede to brake out but our men helped the matter for our men tok and killed to gather one hole brigade and still holde our pesition and are able to holde it. they thought that they would give us fits when they came to Champian hill with 100 pieces of artilery. but general John A. Logan made them clime. they came back to vixburg with onley one battery and the deserters said that they came all scatterd and flustrated and said that the yankeys was a coming. they were all that night a geting to Vixburg. there Are some talk of us a geting two months pay be fore long and I do not know yet how mutch I will send home. for the talk of furlowing half of the regt. at a time after vixburg is taken and if I should get a furlow, I should want some money shure. And if I can get a furlow i will try and come home and see you all. I think that vixburg here will be the decisive battle here in the west and that is the thoughts of lots. we heard here that we had got defeated down east, that old General Hooker got one whole army Co. ar taken prisoners by the rebs down east in virginia. It is very warm. the canon is a shelling just now and the shells burst and fly all over and a bout the rebs. it has been a bout 1 month since I got any letters from you. blieve you must a have stoped wrighting or els the mail does not came ragular. our men are a diging the rebs forts down here and a going to make one of our own. they are to work at it every day and they will get it don After while if they keep on shure. the boys are in prety good health in our army and all anxious to see the Day come to pass when vixburg shal be ours, and the stars and stripes run up on the steeple of the court house and the old banner wave over the victory. I don a little job of washing this morning and my clothes was dry long a goo[9:00?]. it is so hot here that it donot take any time a tol [at all] to dry clothing. we have just now drawn rations for what staid here in camp that did Not go wit the regt. I think that the regt. will be back. to morow any how. this is one offul hilly place as ever i was in. you canot go no way with out going up or down a hill, but you can go for mildes a round in the hollow if you do not care where you go and keep in the holow. Well I blieve that I Have tolde you All the news for this Present time. So i must Bring my letter to a close By asking you to wright soon. From Andrew Altman to John Altman father i sent a Big book, the wrightings of wasington to you by Mr. Jacob Stickley. it is prety nice to reade besides to remember me by that I captured on black water plantation. And I send it to you to read and Isaac also and the rest if they choes. Excuse my Poor wrighting and Bad Spelling. October 2, 1863October the 2th 1863 My Dear father It is with great pleasure that i sit down this morning to let you know that i are well at preasant and hoping that these fiew lines may finde you in the same health. it is prety Cool down here and we had some 3 days rain, but now it has Cleared off. I suppose that our regt. will stay here this winter and garison the place. our brigade are a working on the forts here and we are a drawing in the line Closter town than the rebs had therse and we are a making strong forts I tell you. our regt. is post guarde in town. we go on duty every other day but the duty is not harde. I was on last nighte a guarding Canon balls. there are a pile of shells as big as I ever saw you have of pumkins. There are not much news here now a bout the war. I have not heard from Charleston for some time. I supose that Olde rosey Crance [Rosecrans] has give the rebs thunder by this time, for he was a scremishing [skirmishing] with them some 3 or four days a go, but I have not heard from there since. Well father I supose that you have saw Joseph Rickey by this time, for he went home some time a go on furloh. There has been a Couple of steam boats burned up be tween here and Cairo. they were a running to vicksburg loded with Comisary goods and furlowed men a returninq to their regments and it was set a fire by some means a rother and burned the tile roap and they could not guide it and so the men and women had to all jump in the river and drowned or burn to death by the flames. i saw one capt. that was on the boat and jumped in the river and swam out. his lieutenant drowned. The capt. saved his watch and trunk and buried his lieutenant. Well father I guess I have tolde you all the news at Preasant. So good By To Isaac I gues it is all moste corn husking time by this time, is it not? I supose that you have them young Calves broke by this time. I was to meeting last night from my poste and these are a going to be preeching there a gain to night and i are a going a gain if i can. So no more good by from A. Altman |