Text of Original
Letter from a Union Soldier
Page 1

Introduction

The text of the letter on these pages, written June 9, 1863 by a white Union soldier while he was ensconced in Vicksburg, Mississippi at the Camp of Stevenson's Brigade, Logan's Division 17th Corps, relates the news of the battle as well as admiration for a job well done by the colored troops. (Note: punctuation was added to enhance readability while keeping context intact. Legible copies of the actual letter are also provided here.)

The letter begins:

Dear Brother:

Seated myself today to write you a few lines. We are still camped in the same place that I wrote from last - about 2 miles in the rear of Vicksburg and in the center of our lines. We have been waiting.

Things very cool here for past few days, that is, we have done but little hard fighting. We cook our rations and sleep within gunshot of the enemies works, protected by a deep ravine. Our skirmishers lay over the next ravine and within 200 yards of the fort.