We landed in Memphis December 6, and remained till December 20, when we got orders to go to Vicksburg, We landed at Johnson's Landing, Yazoo River December 26, and was led gallantly into our first battle by Colonel Maynard in the attack upon Chickasaw Bluffs. We lost a number of our men in a very few minutes. We remained on the field under heavy fire till January 1, 1863 when the army withdrew from the field in the night time. About 8 o'clock that night our band played "Dixie", when they finished playing the rebel band played "Get out of the Wilderness", and we did get out about 12 o'clock that night but not because they told us to, for we intended to go. About 12 O'clock our army withdrew from the field and embarked on boats, leaving our company in the detail to cover the retreat. About daylight the rebels found out that we were leaving, and came after us driving our rear guards in on double quick. The gun_boats opened fire on them and they suffered a great loss. We closed in on the rebels and the storm of shot and shell and musketry commenced. Our lines advanced under terrific fire, while we poured shot and shell in on them from all sides which was more than they could stand, and they ran up the white flag. When all was quite and the camp was ours, with 7000 prisoners and all their camp equipments. We remained there till all the prisoners were sent away and our wounded went to the hospitals. We destroyed and burned their camp. We the embarked and went back to Vicksburg and into camp. at Youngs Point January 23 and there remained till March 8, engaged in digging a canal across the bend below Vicksburg, but failed owing to the river rising and destroying our work.

Our regiment suffered terribly while ther with measles and other diseases. We buried from two to seven a day. On March 8, we moved back to Millikens Bend and stayed there till April, in the meantime Commodore Porter, at the suggestion of General Grant had made preparation for running past the batteries of Vicksburg with eight ironclads, followed by three transports and the experiment was made with fair success.

The fleet floated silently down the current under cover of heavy darkness and their crews were beginning the think that the rebels had for some reason concluded not to assail them when, just as they were fairly oppsit the city fire was opened on them from the batteries and in a moment the whole bluff was ablaze with the flash and roar of the heavy guns along the entire water front of the city, The fleet promptly responded with grape and canister at the city and batteries, and went by but of the three transports Fort queen, Henry Clay, and Silverware, run the gauntlet in saftey,,but the Henry Clay was struck by a shell which set her proteteing (protecting) cotton bales on fire, when her panics stricken crew launched her yawl and made for shore leaving their vessel to float down the river in flames. She burned to the water's edge and sunk. On April 5, we commenced out march to the rear of Vicksburg by the way of Richmond, New Carthage and Perkins plantation. Here we camped a few days, while here we were routed out one night about 12 O'clock by the long roll beating. The whole camp was in wild confusion to get out in line of battle. When we were ready the Colonel told us that it was a false alarm; that it was done only to see how quick we could get out and that we had got out in a little less than five minutes; that it was splendidly done and hard to beat.

On April 21, we took up our march again and crossed the Mississippi at Brownsburg, below Grand Gulf. At 3 o'clock we commenced our advance and marched till 5 o'clock next morning. The battle of Grand Gulf or as the rebels called it, Thompsons Hill commenced. We were engaged all day in this battle. About 4 o'clock we were ordered to charge upon the enemy which we did successfully, driving them from the field, and following them untill dark. Here our company was left to guard the hospital and four of us boys asked our officers if we might go foraging. We started with forty rounds of cartridges. We did not get into any battles, but I think it would have taken four to one to have taken us, as we were four champions. We were out for a few hours and came in with thirteen mules, two of them hitched to a wagon, and a negro on each of the other mules. The wagon was loaded with chickens, meat, eggs, and honey.

The next day we joined our regiment and turned the mules over to the quartermaster and continued our march to Raymond, Miss., where we came upon the enemy again and had a short fight, again routing them. We remained there one day, and while some of us boys were sheltering in a smoke house from rain someone said he smelled bacon and on raising the floor there we found a box sunk in the ground full of meat. The women begged for us to not take it, for they were widows and that was all they had to live on.

The next day we again moved forward upon them at Black River. The enemy was entrenched and fortified in the open bottom a mile wide. We were ordered to charge which we did, and were met with deadly fire from the enemy batteries. Our Lieutenant, Ruben Kennedy was killed by a shell passing through the ranks, which also killed and wounded four or five others. General Osterhaus our division commander was wounded. Richard Huchison, our first sergeant, took command of the company. We continued the charge on their works and routed them afterwards falling back to Vicksburg. Our loss was heavy we captured several thousand prisoners and eighteen pieces of artillery. The next day we again moved upon the road to Vicksburg.

On May 22, the awful and deadly charge was made on their works at Vicksburg. Our loss was very heavy. Among the wounded was Colonel Cradlebaugh and Sergeant Richard Huchison. Our acting captain was killed and I was wounded. We formed our lines and were ordered to charge on the rebels' works and to hold our fire untill we got to the fortifications. which we did while the batteries were to fire over our heads from the high ground in the rear. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon the deadly charge was made through a storm of bullets, grape and canister till we got to the works. It looked like going into the jaws of death and so it was to hundreds of our men. When we go to the works we could not get over them on account of a deep and wide ditch. There we lay under fire untill afternight, when we retreated. while we lay there we had the advantage of them. We kept their heads down and they had to shoot by random over their works and their larger guns they could scarcely use, as we would fire a volly in on them as they would load and fire.

Our army moved back and the siege commenced. Our loss was heavy. General Grant's report of the battles from the day he crossed the river at Bruinsburg, May 1, till the day of surrender, at 85oo killed, wounded and missing of whom 43oo fell in the assault of May 22, our wounded were taken back a short distance and were put into a field hospital , which was out in the open air, and where we had to lay on the ground with no covering over us. We lay there for about two weeks and then moved to Memphis, Tenn. while laying in the field hospital the green flies became as thick as bees. One morning I opened my wound and there was a green fly under the bandage, and my wound was full of flybows, I washed them off and wrapped it up again, untill the next morning, when I unwrapped it and found a dozen maggots which began to hide themselves in the sore. I washed them off and wrapped it up till the next week. I was rid of them untill several days afterwards, when we were on a boat going to a hospital a Memphis, when I felt a tickling of my wound and on examination found another remembrance of the green fly which I knocked off and that was the last of it.

We arrived at Memphis, June 8, and was put in the hospital where we were well cared for. The siege of Vicksburg continued till July 4th, when General Pemberton surrendered 33,000 men to General Grant, and our army marched into the city. The Mississippi River was open and the backbone of the rebellion was broken. In the above mentioned battles in this campaign our army captured 47,000 prisoners and all their camp equipment. When Grant's army attacked the rebels you will see that we kept the flies off of them. This ended the campaign.

I have never said much about the war, as some do, but I have not forgot the horrors of war and the sufferin that I have seen on the battlefield and in the hospital. To see the boys dying from wounds, talking of their mothers and dear ones at home, brings the tears to my eyes when I think of them. In one instance I saw a young man about 19 years of age, a bullet had struck him on the head and took a piece of skull the size of a silver dollar. He called me to him and asked me for water. I stopped with him and gave him water and bathed his wounds. He asked me if I thought his wounds were dangerous. I told him I did not know; that perhaps the doctor could save his life. He asked me if I would get him off the field to the doctor I told him I would and I got the off-bearers to carry him from the field.