Milligans Bend Louisiana February 1st 1863 
Dear Wife 
I once more Sit down to write you a line to inform you 
that I am as well as usual; and hope this may find you 
well  . I have not Rec,d any letters from you Since I left 
Memphis though I have been looking for one for Several days 
the mail came in last night and I felt Sure I would get 
a letter from you but when they was Distributed .T.Jefferson 
Richard R,s name was not called So I did not get any 
the weather has been quite pleasent for Several days until 
last night and this morning we had quite a Shower of Rain 
which makes it quite muddy to day     Fosters Battery is 
   camped about .2. miles Below as Robert Mc and myself 
was down there yisterday and Saw Jabe; Levi Noble; 
Chester Morley; and ,E; Caulkins   . Jabe and Levi is 
getting Stout again the other Boys was well   We are Still 
lying here there has not been any fighting yet Except Small 
Skirmishes between the Scouts of Each Side and Occasionally 
Between our Gun Boats and the Rebel Batteries Below 
We are waiting for Reinforcements and [crossed out] [an] to hear what 
Banks and Farrigut is doing Below it was their failure 
to get here that caused the Defeat of Sherman but the 
Rebels have a verry Strong position here and will be a hard 
place to take unless we can Surround them and Starve them 
[crossed out] [illegible] out; But perhaps it will Require a long time to concentrate 
our forces So as to accomplish it 
Monday Feb 2nd     ; well did,nt finish my 
letter yesterday So I will Scratch you a few more lines 
There was Heavy Artillery firing for about an hour an,a 
half Early this morning Among the Gun Boats at the 
mouth and up the Yazoo River I dont know what 
it was for; But they Say the Rebels have three Rams 
up the Yazoo and the Said they meant to Run them 
down from there and Drive away [crossed out] [illegible] our Gun Boats 
I think that is what they attempted this morning 
But I guess they could not make the Riffle and was 
compelled to Run Back as the firing has ceased 
and I dont hear anything more from them; they would 
Have [crossed out] [have] had a verry hot gauntlet to Run to get through 
our Blockade of Gun Boats which is in the mouth 
of the Yazoo River    ; The weather is pretty mutch clear to day 
with a cool Raw wind  not cold Enough to freeze But  
colder than it has been for Several days; The River is Still 
   part of 
Raising and ^ our men is working Every day Throwing up a 
levy to preven the water from flooding our camp Ground 
John Cready is here in the, 14th Reg, in Co, D, I See him 
Every few days he dont feel So patriotic as he did when 
he used to be Riding around on the Badax trying to Recruit 
In fact I find nearly all the soldiers in all Regt,s are getting 
Sick and tired of Soldiering but many of them are too gritty 
to grumble about it and takes it as Easy as possible 
A Declaration of peace would be hailed with a more hearty 
welcome by the soldiers; Than was the Year of Jubilee by 
the Bondmen of Old Testament times 
The fact is that many of the Soldiers are Discouraged 
They have been Jaded from pillow to post and compelled 
      to carry their own provision Bedding and clothing Besides 
guns and Accoutrements first chasing the rebels then 
being chased by them being in many cases compelled to 
to attack Rebels in [crossed out] [illegible] [crossed out] [illegible] in far Superior numbers 
and having the same ground to fight over half a Dozen 
or more times and in prospect ahead for anything Better 
while the Big men at washington are quarreling conniving 
and We're working to See who Shall be Chief commander 
and what Commander Shall be Court Marshalled for 
whiping the Rebels, And who Shall be Next in turn [crossed out] [illegible] 
Entitled to a Brigadier or Major Generals Commission  . 
        man 
And Arguing the Question whether the Nigger is a Black ^ or 
an African; And whether or not a private that dies in 
the Service without leave is entlted to an honorable Discharge 
And whether or not a private is allowed to Speak to a general 
after having a written permit to do so Signed by the, Col, of 
his Reg,t after making the formal Salute and throwing his 
Neck out of Joint making Military Jestures; Some of the 
Boys go to far and to Say that all the Differance there is between 
a Mule and a Soldier is that a mule don,t have to stand 
guard or go on Extra duty for missing Roll call 
There has been quite a quantity of Negros come into 
Our Army from the country there was thirty come 
in a few days ago who said their Masters had Just got 
  things fixed to Run them off to Texas in a few days 
to Keep the Yankees from getting them 
I will Send a letter to John in this 
I will also Send you a Ring that I made of a [crossed out] [illegible] 
Beef horn I do not Send it for its intrinsic value or 
Beauty I only Send it for you to keep as a memento of 
the Maker  ; I Also [Appen?] Below a map of [crossed out] [illegible] my own 
make to Show you the position of our Army and the 
Rebels the canal is one and an Eighth miles in length and 
and the Bend in the River is ten miles Gen Butler commenced 
Digging this canal last Summer but the water in the River 
fell So that he had to abandon the Job our men are at work 
on it now but with what Result I can only conjecture 
By making this canal Navigble we could have command of 
the River without taking Vicksburg; well I must close 
Write Soon 
T.J. Davis 
Lucinda M.Davis