Note: Spelling, grammar, and punctuation appear as in the original.
June 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.
