for Vanburen.  Then across Currant River & camp for two days, here we spent our New Years day, then we moved back on the bluff near Currant River & camped for a few days, then we marched down the River on the East side 12 miles & camped & on the next morning we started back & came through Vanburen & halted an hour & then came out S. 3 - 4 ms. & camped a few days, then started for Alton on that march we had the hardest time yet rain, snow, quite hard freezing.  Sore feet, smoked eyes &c.  I stood all that verry well until we came to Alton we were put on short rations & in fact for 2 or 3 days we had no bread, we boiled corn & some of the boys made verry good hominy, we did not get a good "scald" on it or from some cause the brand stuck to the corn & I think that eating such stuff is the cause of my not feeling so well as usual.  You know my girl that I am a little particular about my food & I assure you it is pretty hard in the army, we do not get our Rations -
