[Written sideways on top left side of Scan 1]

Our Bright Banner
the
Soldiers
Pride

[End]		

This To
		Freddy Holmes
		From

		B. Frank. Marsh

	On the Mississippi Aug 8th

	Dear Freddy. I received
    your ever welcome little
letter of July 18th I was 
very glad to hear from 
you again. and should
have written to you before
but have not had much
chance to write now for
the last four weeks or at
least since we started for

Jackson whare we had a little
brush with Mr. Sesesh
and nicely whiped him
and sent him Scadaddeling
from their works so we
started back and marched
very hard in the heat
by which we lost a great
many of the boys of
other Regts but ours stood
it very well we only 
lost one man I believe
from the Heat.
	Oh Freddy I wish you
could see. B. Frank. Marsh
to day I guess you would
be puzeled to tell me
from some of the darkies
down here for I am
taned up so black

and the hot Sun has
curled my hair so it
is curlier than yours. I guess
if I had stayed down
thare a year I should have
bin a darkey sure.
	you said you wer
Pedeling Papers for S.C.C.
that is a good job for you
be a good onest boy and
you will do well at that
and when I get my Pay 
again I shall send for
some Papers. as it is
a hard matter to get read-
ing enough here.
	now I must enquire 
how the Garden does
this Summer with the 
young Gardner F.H. Holmes

I believe you are a pretty
good Boy to work in the
garden. I would like
to take a peep at the
garden this Beautifull
morning just after the
refreshing shower we
had here last Night.
but I must wait for a
little time yet.
    Freddy you tell Mother I
shall be as hard up for
teeth as she is in a few
years if I keep loosing
them I have only lost 
five of my double teeth
three since I left Home
I have a poor mill for Hard Bread
well I must close this
little Note Yours Truly B.F Marsh