April 15th, 1853


Dear Megan,

The blood soaked earth where the bodies of men that have
fallen that stains the ground with their silent tears that weep
no more. As they stack on the piles of their friends. Brothers
that have fallen with them, as the cries of the men thought
still haunt the few who remain and for me my love. Is that
I am scared to mention that after spending a few long days
on a long march across the fields of battle heading towards
the great city of Vicksburg. Our intellgance officers tell us about
a family storing some blacks down in the basement of their
house and few of the confiderate soldiers are holding the family
captive. Because they aren't going any where until their calavry
clears and cleans out every single inch of the area until every
single slave is found - and killed by their owners. As the news
like that got around in our camp we had to act fast and so today
though my beloved, we make camp and Lt. General Byrce he sent
word for me he told me to go and meet the General himself Grant
to get some orders to intervene if possible. And I was just sitting
by my favorite tree in a field reading a book that I had with me in
my knapsack. And the Lt. General came up to me from behind.
And he stands there before me and he kicks my boots to get me
up and I Look at him and he looks down upon me "Come lets go
the general wants to see you?" I nod and get up and follow in
from behind him...