(1863 
Memphis Tenn Jany 15th 
        Dear Wife 
I again Sit down to write you a few 
lines to let you know that I am  
Enjoying Reasonable good health 
I have not Rec,d any letter from you 
Since I wrote to you before which 
was aout a week ago. I have only Rec,d 
two letters from you dated Since the first 
of December though I have been looking  
for another one for Several days 
Robert Mc has Rec,d, a letter from his 
wife dated as late as Dec, 31st, I have 
not Rec,d any letters since I wrote to you 
we left Moscow on the 10th and arrived 
here the 13th Ins,t; Memphis is mutch 
the largest City I have Seen in the 
South it is well laid out and is a  
verry pretty town and has been quite 
a Business place and is about two 
thirds as large as Milwaukee 
I was in hopes of Seeing Some of 
the boys in Fosters Battery when I 
came here; but the Battery had gone 
down the River before we arrived here 
Gen; Sherman made an attack on 
Vicksburg and had quite a heavy fight 
but was not strong Enough to take it 
and was forced to fall back, I under 
stand that he fell back with his forces 
to Napoleon Arkansas and that 
another attack will be made on Vicks 
burg, as soon as forces Enough can  
be concentrated to bear on it, the  
Rebels they Say are verry Strongly fortified 
and will Require hard fighting to take 
the place I have not learned whether 
Fosters Battery was in the fight at 
Vicksburg or not; we are having the 
Roughest weather Just now that we 
have had this winter; it commenced 
Raining night before last, and rained 
all night and all day yesterday; and 
last night it commenced Snowing and 
it Snowed all night last and all day 
 to day and now it is nearly night 
  and it is Snowing yet there is abot 
a foot of Snow on the ground now 
but the ground was wet and a great 
deal of it melted away as it fell; 
when we was ordered here we Expected 
we would be Sent down to Vicksburg 
but we Recd Orders to day to get Read 
to march out on the Railroad about 
Seven miles to do Guard duty for 
a few days I think we will then be 
marched back here and Sent down the 
River; We was partly paid off 
yesterday that is, we got ,26, Dollars;  
two months pay, Some of the men are 
getting mutch Dissatisfied about 
their pay and swear if they are 
not paid up better they will not 
do duty: I [crossed out] [illegible] will Send you Ten 
Dollars this time I bought a watch 
that took part of my money and I 
owed the Sutler a little and I want 
to Keep a few Dollars for Tobacco 
     and Other necessaries 
Friday morning jany; 16th /63 
it has Stoped Snowing but it is 
quite cold this Morning but it cannot 
last more than two or three days; 
this morning we Rec,d Orders to get Ready 
with Seven days Rations to go to Vicksburg 
I; dont know how soon we will go this war 
fare is uncertain we may have Some warm 
fun down there and we may not fight any 
There was four thousand and Eight hundred 
Rebels Prisoners Landed here to day from 
below they was a cold Ragged looking comm 
unity; they was taken in Arkansas 
This is Evening; I was down Town to day 
and got my likeness taken I will send it to 
you, it is not verry good but perhaps it looks 
as well as I, do; I had on the Same coat that 
I had my likeness taken in last winter in 
Milwaukee I Rec,d a letter last night from  
Belle Ingersoll She writes that Charlie 
was well but it was too muddy for him 
to go to School; Good Bye for this time 
T.J. Davis 
To L.M. Davis