Vixburge Mississippi Jan 2 – 1863

My Dearley beloved Wife I take this
oppertunety of leting you no that I
have Saw one more new years day
but cant say as common a hapy
new years day for it was very un
hapy to me these few lines leaves
me well & un hurt but cant Say
how long it will be the case I
will give you alittel Scetch of my
travel & soforth our Regt was tranc
furd to genrel Bartons Brigade
on the 18 of Dec we started to
Jackson Miss the 19 Dec we march
to Murfeys burrow the 20 we took the
cars we came to chatnoga 21 we came
to Atlanta I was nearer home theare
then I ever exspect to be again but
Still hope that providence will provide
we came from thare to wespoint from
thare to Mongumrey Alabama & then
to Mobiel & then to Mariaden Miss
then to Jackson then to this place
I was on the Road acrismus day the fite
comenst heare on thursday a crismus
& we came on friday nite a Saturday we
marcht up the Miss River 1 ½ miles
[page 2]
Saturday nite about 10 in the nite
we was orderd out on picket at
4 in the morning tha comenst thow
ing thare bums at us tha fell &
busted all Round & over us but
no body hurt after day light tha cut
in with thare Sharp Shooters & the miney
balls hald prety thick one of co (H) was
kild Shot throught the head tha
bumd us all day we lay behind
a fence in the Road was all the
Shelter we had in the evning
we was orderd to Reenforce genrel
Lee & we had to leave the Road under
the voley of 7 peases of artilrey we left
unhurt we Reported to genrel Lee [1] &
lay in the brest workes that nite
then Mondy morning at 4 we
was put in other brest workes Shore
tha thought the enmey was coming
out at evryone that put his head
above the ditch had a bum thowed
at them the yankeys was in full
vew of us thare was nothing but alittel
lake of water betwen us & them tha
comenst crossing about 9 PM we was
orderd to flank them & some other
Regt fill the ditch & the yankeys
[page 3]
under took to Stop us by buming
us tha plaid on us from 8 battres
& our on them the hole aire & face
of the irth was fild with bums &
ther contents thare was 3 let in
2 foot of me while I was crossing
alittel open point & thowed all over
me we gaing our point 4 compney
of us the Rifle compneys was put off
in other plases whare tha cold shoot
at a longer distence & we was in a Road
without afence to Shelter us & 2
Regt of the yankeys come like
tigers at (Co) (B) & (G) the Balls
come as thick as hail we pord
it in to them Some too evry man Stood
like a lion I Stood in a open plase with
Sevrel Round me & while I would be
loading my gun I would look Round
& See Some one gaping for breth & Some
Shot too dead to gape but we Raisd
the yell & pord it in so thick tha
tha could not Stand tha took
to there heels for Safty & we was order
to ceace firing but we would fier on them
as tha Run it may look unreasonabel
that 4 compneys whipt 2 Regt but
it is eaven So & 2 compneys don the most
[page 4]
of it but when I ceast & looket
Round thare was but one living
man left & he had his leg broke
& that was Capt Malkom [2] of Co
(G) thare was 9 kild in the Regt
2 in our compney one by the name
of Rollins & Richeards [3] & one Mortley
wounded that wont live Sevrel Slitly
I never got tutch but the next time
may be mine you doant no what
kind of afeeling it put on me to
See men Shot down like hoges
& See aman tore all to peases with
a Shell after he is dead Monday
nite we Sat by trees in the Rain
all nite I got as wet as I cold be but I
must tel the ballance thare was more
then 2 Regt of the enmey come
out we have tropes by the thousans
our Regt took 5 prisners of the Same
Regt that we fought at cumberland
gap & at walnut Ridge it the 16 oh[i]o
but our forses at this point took
5 Stands of collors & 8 hundred
prisners & the armes I cant tell the
amount tusday thare was some
litel fiting the enmey loss on
Monday was 15 hundred kild & Missing
[page 5]
2 Sheat
tusday Rite Smart Scrumishing
wensday tha came with a flag of
truce to bury thare dead & thare was
peace from 9 till 5 thursday wich
was new years day was but very
littel picket firing & today thar
hant bin a gun fierd onley some
canon up the River at another
point the enmey is all gon in
thare gun boats ar hid So that
our forces would leave & go to Some
other point or tha are gon to attact
Some weak point we are expecting
the hardest fite heare that has ever
bin afor tha say we
Vixburge or die & a grate meny
of them heas all Redy dide our loss
was very hevey but not half so
bad as the enmey I would a Rote
Sooner but tha Stopt the mail
I doant no how long it will take
aletter to go from heare home my
wate when I was in Mobiel was
1.60 lbs my helth is very good
& I truley hope that these lines
may come safe & find you all in beter
[page 6]
I came part of the way on Steam
Boat I Saw some of the largest fish
in Mobiel I ever Saw the Scales was
as large as a half dollar we stade ther
all day & nite I eat 2 master bates of
them I travel 2 day and never Saw a
tree but pine the Swamps full
of Some kind of groth that Stays
green all winter I have oftimes
heard of the mississippi Swamps
but now I have Saw them I cant
give you all the perticklers now
fur I am Setting in my brest works
wating fore the yankeys & it has
Comenst Raining all of our Brigade
as gorgians the 40, 41, 42, 43, 52
all the Jackson county boys is
heare I Saw Jo Hammons & van
Dolay & Jim the other day tha
was well I havent saw them
cence the battel I must close
& it may be the last time if
it is live up Rite & onerbel til [tell]
all the children howdy & kiss
them for me I have got some things
that I had Rather them 50 dollars tha had
Rite to hammons how I am let Mr
Polk Read this litter fer you giv him
& henry my respects send your letters
to Vixburge Mississippi
[page 7]
I have got a ax for John &
a littel paire of sizers for Susa
& the least paire you ever saw
fore Mary & a pipe fore you &
a heape other litel tricks I hant
Rote half as much as I want
to if I had the time W. . was not
in the fite we left him at
Reeders vill with John wilson
tha was wating on thomas
O. Wilson the doctor sed
that thomas would die but
he is not dead or W. P &
John would bin heare before
now I felt lost fur him fur
we was to take care of eache others
things in battel if eather got
kild all my mates was out
but one litel billey Baley
tel Mr Polk if he can Send
Mrs Baley word that he faught
throught the Batel Safe
fare well I will Rite every weak
I want to heare from you ver<?>
bad H W Robinson to
Elisabeth & Margret & all the
Children god bless you all
[page 8]
I want you to Rite how
Sister Suse is I have dremp of her
twice heare of late I dremp last nite
of Seeing her drest in black Silk
I doant belive in dreames but bin
pesterd about ever thing els it
pesters me too I want to no wither
She got the Ring ar not we
git nothing to eat heare but
corn bread & poore befe

<??>d your letters to
H W Robinson in cear
of capt B P Weaver 42
Regt Ga Vols Vixburg M