Page 3
 Sunday evening - April 19th  Now my Dear wife I will try & write although there is so much noise & confusion that I can hardly think.  We are all verry much elated over the news from Charleston S.C.  The rumors we have been receiving for a week or two that Charleston is taken is officially reported.  We believe it whether it is so or not.  Another rumor is to the effect that the commissary stores at Richmond Virginia are burned - supposed to be the work of negroes.  The siege of Vicksburg goes on slowly owing to the want of transports.  Thursday night or friday morning there were 8 gunboats & one steamer run the gauntlet successfully - one other transport tried it & was sunk.  The one that came through, came up a bayou to our camp yesterday & is loading today to go out to the river at Carthage, the soldiers have built 8 or 10 flat boats & are buisy transporting supplies, Artilery, ammunition &c
 I thought when I wrote to you from Richmond that we would get over in about a week & be ready to make the atack on Vicksburg in a few days from this time, but it is I find a tedious & slow business to move large armies.  I should not be surprised now if it was 10 days yet or perhaps longer & there is some talk that we will go to Port Hudson 225 miles further down & [reduce?] that place before the attack on Vicksburg.  The boys are going to lead & I must follow, a pleasant nights rest to you my dearest.  The nights here are cool, days are comfortably warn - good night my pet.
