War Letters, Civil War Brinsmaid, George B.Brinsmaid Coll.
Youngs Point, La. April 27 [1863] Dear Father, It is sometime since I received a letter from home although the papers come nearly every week The weather is very warm and we have an abundance of rain I expected that we should be on our way to New Carthage today as we had ordered to be ready to leave this A.M. But last night the order was countermanded Carthage is about thirty miles below V[icksburg] on the La. side and is now occupied by our troops under McClernand I rather think we may go there yet Eight gunboats and three transports ran the blockade about ten days ago all did so successfully, but one transport which was burnt There was three men killed and one wounded on the gunboat Benton that is all No one hurt on the transport. Since then we have run down five transports and lost one. It was one of the finest sights that I ever saw to see the shot and shells flying through the air and bursting all about them. It was a complete line of fire for about two miles and the roar of the rebels guns was perfectly deafening It is almost a miricle how a wooden boat could pass their batteries without being sunk We have now before V[icksburg] a fleet large enough to transport our army across the river in a short time I suppose you are just about as wise at home about what is going on here as we are We know of nothing at all except what transpires in our particular corps Gen Grants headquarters is at Millikins Bend twelve miles up the river. A mail comes about once a week but we get but few papers from Memphis as the papers have been stopped there St. Louis & Cinn. Papers of 21st received to day no news I have seen no particulars of the Charleston fight yet__It is raining here today Heavy firing been heard all day today in the direction of Carthage It is rumored today that Grand Gulf is taken and the railroad bridge between Jackson and V[icksburg] must fall as we have shut the supplies by the way of Red river and the loss of this R Road stops in a great measure ammunition with Charleston I had a letter from Mary a few days ago I sent a letter to you enclosing one dollar to be put in the bank for Sed about 10 days ago Burnside has the Department of Ky. I see by the papers McClellan stock below par here but Sherm is one hundred per cent above par There are two negro regiments being raised at this point and men in the different regiments being detailed to drill them Adj Gen. Thomas here from Washington Butter [is] worth from 50c to 60c potatoes $3.00 per bush[el] and other things in proportion Your Aff. Son Geo B. Brinsmaid Kansas War Letters Online
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