the
May 6 1863
Camp Near yazoo river
Dear Mother
I Seat my Self to let you know
I am up and about but not well it
is all I can doo to keep up par is well
I havent got much to write only to let you
know I havent forgot you yet we got a letter
from you the other day and was glad to
hear from you but sorry to hear that the
crop looked So bad I havent got much to write
that is interresting they is some talk of us
having to leave hear that is if the yankees
whips us below they say the yankees has
backed our men and if the yankees does whip
our men doun their we are gone up. I will
finish my letter I felt Soe bad I had to lie
doun and take a nap Ambros come in and
woke me up orders has come for us to keep
three days rashing cooked on hand we have
had [that?] order five or Six days ago we keep
them on hand we got order to leave about
twelve Oclock we was going to reinforce them
below Vicksburg and General Ebear [1] had
us sent back he told them that his men
had bin workin[d?] day and night and
they sent us back I dont know wheather
he did or not but we was sent back any
how we had got half way to
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Vicksburg you had better recon we was
all glad to get to come back the
fly’s bothers me Soe bad I caint hardly
write you never Saw the like in your
life dan is got A very bad cold I will
quit for this time give my love to all my
Brothers Soe nothing more at present
R. E. Buckley

We have just received a letter from you
and was more than glad to hear from
you and to hear you was all well par
Say dont give up that horse untill the
man proves him it might had bin
A yankee horse that they turned loose