& met with nothing of particular interest until in the after noon when we routed the enemys pickets and took one fellow that had lied to us about not having seen any pickets when he had just seen them, we took him prisoner & went 2 or 3 miles & camped with or on the premises of a Secesh Captain.  we took a considerable quantity of Comisary stores, that they had stored away for their pickets. That night one of our pickets took one of theirs & brought him into head quarters. 
After supper - Since writing the above I have been on dress parade & eat supper & I guess I will tell you how I have occupied the time to day. I was around a while this morning among my friends greeting & receiving their congratulations.  Then I went to washing & washed all my clothes except one shirt & drawers. even my pants they had got so greasy & dirty.  I made them look like new ones.  then there was one half our regiment started off on a 3 or 4 days march at 2 P.M. with a regiment of Cavelry & you know I must see them start & bid my friends that were going good bye. for it is like brothers leaving each other.
 Then I commenced writing to you, so I will co where I left off.  This prisiner was one of the 4 that we surprised in the afternoon he got separated from the others.  I must say here that the boy that took him was a member of our company by the name of John Bull he has the honor of disarming the & taking captive the first Secesh that was taken by the 23rd Iowa.
