No 25
 Memphis Tenesee Mar 23d 1863  
My Dearest Mary:  I have leisure to write you a few lines this morning.  I am in the best of health & spirits.  News from Vicksburg is very encouraging.  The Yazoo pass is now open for the largest size steamers & our boats have passed through for cotton: speculation in cotton will go on whether the war does or not Faragut's Fleet has passed Port Hudson & & reported at Vicksburg ready to the great conflict about commencing, we have posession of Yazoo Citty everything is going on as well as could be wished.  We cannot tell what a few days may bring forth.  They may bring forth disaster, but I cannot well see how it is posible in the course of human for us to fail this time of defeating the Rebels there.  I have no doubt but that you will feel considerable solicitude about me.  When I wrote you last from New Madrid we expected to start the next day, We did not start until the 21st.  We expect now to start for Vicksburg to day.  We are waiting for the 21 & 22, the rest of our Brigade
