No 41 Des Moines, Iowa Wednesday Morn, May 27th 1863  
Dear Husband, I am well this morning except my anxiety for your safety, in looking over the battles from their location and their commanders, you must have been in two or three battles, and in one report I saw that the 21st and 23rd in the taking of the Black River bridge stood the charge and sustained the principal loss; I am waiting with great anxiety for the report of the killed and wounded; sometimes I feel that my nerves are not strong enough to look over that list when it comes; I let Mr Robinson read your last letter, he seemed very much pleased with it, and said Mrs. G you have a good husband; and I don't believe he will be killed; if that letter should be the last, (and you know that every one I think perhaps it may,) what a source of comfort it would be to me, there are some passages it that are sublime; We received the glorious news Monday evening that the "Stars and Stripes were waving over Vicksburg; you may believe was heartfelt hurrahs went up that evening, there were two balloon ascensions and bonfires and speeches and singing and all kinds of demonstrations of joy; you could see the Copperheads in little groups away back in the shade of building  O! I can tell them they don't show joy in their coun-
