th
Camp Williams Sept 15^/62
	Dear Brother & Sister
The mail has just
arrived but no news for 
me my health is some
better than it has been
for some time I have the
Diereah & have had it for A
long time we are now in 
Camp in Camp Williams
four us from New Orleans
we Evacuated Baton Rouge
on the 21st of Aug it was
like the breaking up of keeping
House [?] on the 5th of Aug we
had A bloody fight it was
began at daylight lasted
until half past ten the
21st Indiana & the 6th Mich
were in the hottest of the


fight the rebels lost 1,500 our
boys was about 200 it was hot
work A very hot day we -------
give them A dose of Physic [?]
for their Breakfast they left
their dead & wounded on----
the field for us to bury &
	       the
care for after^ fighting was done
we throw up entrenchments 
burned about half of the
City to git A range for ---
our guns we are now ----
occupying the rebel fortifica
tions above New Orleans that
took the rebels 9 months
to build they kept 2,000 men
at work on it all of the -----
time it is four miles
long twelve feet across on
top four feet high A ditch
outside 200 [?] ft wide filled with
water Co. K is out to night to
support A Battery at the----

Parrapet I did not go out
I was on guard last night
to day I had all day to rest
tomor I am on Poliece [?]
	I was not in the
Battle at Baton Rouge 
had been sick 4 weeks in
the Hospital my health
is not very good at the
best it is better now
E. G. Cook. is dead. H. Taylor
is alive he is A hard [illegible in original]
3 of the recruits I took in
Camp with me died in the
Hospital we have lost
more by sickness than
any other way we have all
sorts of news by rebels ----
sources it don’t frighten
us we are ready for anything
no news here direct to
New Orleans
G B Surdam Sergt