Vickburg Misissippi March 19
1863
Dear Mother I seat my self
this morning with great plesure to
inform you that I am well at presant
I hope that those few lines may come
safe to hand and find you all well
we are faring tolrable well now
at the presant we did fare very bad
when I first got hear for we did not get
but one meal a day and that was
corn bread as cours you wood have
grits we get a plenty of bacon now I
like to get back in to georgia to get
one more good drink of water for we
have bad water heare with out we
can get it out of a siston [1] we are station
writ on the river it is a Mile and a quarter
wide heare we are in site of the enemy gun
boats they are canonaiding up and down
the river evry day we shell them last
night our of the canel sunk three of thire
boats mar [2] it is very warm heare 
just about as warm as may evry thing
look green heare I hav seen some corn
[page 2]
as hy as my hand good meney of the
boys hav dide our of my company while
I was at home thire are talk of peace
heare I sent 50 dollars home by docte
hardeman I want you to write to me weather
Polly [3] ever got it or not and tell
tell her to write to me weather she
got it or not mar I send you a
presant Nothing more at the
presant so I Must close so
good by I remain your effecten
son untell death
Thomas J Wiley