you were doing well we  we were all Sory that you after So long a Siege & So much hard fighting around Vicksburg that you wer not able to march in and enjoy the rich jubilee which it must have been to See that vipourous Reble flag hauled down & the glorious old Stars & Stripes hoisted over that hither to Strong hold of Rebledom  it would Seem almost enough to make a Sick man well  they had a Splendid time in Desmoin Wednesday night  the news of the fall of Vicksburg Port Hudson the defeat of Price & Johnson in the West & Lee in the East all coming about the Same time it was enough to call for a big jubilee all the principle buildings in town were illuminated Cheers were given Cannons fired and all kinds of demonstrations  I Should like to have been there to have taken part in it but we did not know of it til it was all over  you Speak in your letter to Austin of the dissatisfaction of the Soldiers at the nomination of Col Stone for Governor  I am Sorry it is So but, as it is I think the best we can do is to give him our Support  the Mahoneyites which is the leaders of the Democratic party refused to have Tuttle for their Candidate after he was fairly nominated
