Head quarters 18th R.W.V 

                           Camp Near Carthage La 

Sunday May 3rd 1863 

                                  Dear Lucinda 

I Endeavor to write you a few lines 

to let you know where I am etc, I 

am as well as usual: I have not 

Rec,d a letter from you Since I last 

wrote; we left Millikens bend on 

the 26th by land for this place; we 

come by way of Richmond 16 miles 

west of Vicksburg; the distance from 

Millikens bend to this place is near 

50 miles through a low flat country 

with occasional Sloughs and Bayous 

that we had to bridge; although the 

country is low and wet, yet we passed 

many large and well improved Plan 

tations; the Missippi Valley is a 

mutch Richer and wealthier country 

in the South than I had Anticipated 

and it is the quaint Essence of 

Secessionism; many of the Inhabitants 

of which are now reaping the Reward 
which they so Richly deserve; by having 

their [crossed out] Plantations Devastated and 

their Negros taken from them; we are 

about forty miles below Vicksburg 

by way of the River and twelve miles 

above Grand Gulf where the Rebels 

are fortified in a Bluff with about 

15,000 Troops; we have a force of thirty 

or forty Thousand Troops in that vicinity 

and will probably drive the Rebels 

away from there before many days 

There has been considerable fighting 

going on down there for Several days 

and our forces have taken some 

prisoners but I have not heard the 

petriculars or If I did I would not 

believe them for there is so many 

diferant Reports circulating through 

the camps; we arrived here yesterday 

in advance of our Division in charge 

of Some Siege Guns we will probably 

Remain here untill our Division comes 

up which probably will be to day 

   or to morrow 
       we have not had a mail for 

       nearly a week our mail has to 

 be [crossed out] carried fifty miles by land 

and we we will not be likely to get 

it verry Regular while we are down 

here and if you do not got mail Reguler 

from me you must not be uneasy 

Fosters Battery came down here a head 

of us it is now down near Grand gulf 

I have not Seen any of the boys 

the last mail I Rec,d a letter from 

Susan and Hariet I will send it to 

you . I must Answer them to day 

I will send them my father Abraham 

Song; you would hardly Believe how 

forward vegitation is here, young 

corn is is a foot high in many fields  

peaches are larger than quails Eggs 

Black berries are half grown and Roses 

and poppies are in full bloom 

you said you had bought a pr of Ear 

drops; of cource I do not Object to that 

I would [crossed out] bought you a pare before I 

left if you would Said you would ware them 
     I Shall look for another letter 

from you as soon as the mail comes 

through perhaps to day; you give the 

price of some things in your letter so I 

will give you the price of some things here 

Butter 50. cts per. lb. cheese, 40, Eggs   

Per Doz 50, cts Tobacco 200 to 250, per lb  

crackers .30 cts per lbs green apples 

partly rotten ,5, cts, each good quality, 3 for 

25, cts, pickles 5, cts each; as for Tea coffee 

meat Sugar Rice and Beans we draw 

all that we want from government 

also Hard Tack or Square diet and 

Sometimes we Draw flour So it is not 

Really necessary for the soldiers to buy 

mutch Trash from Sutlers at such 

Exorbitant prices; Perhaps you 

you think I do not Say Enough about 

the Baby in my letters well I will send 

you part of a Story that will partly  

make up for the deficiency; So I will 

close for this time  Yours as Ever 

Write Often	T.J. Davis 

 	To L W Davis