08. Civil War Diary Part VIII (June 1863-August 1863)



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Personal Letter

Camp Davies Miss


June 6th 1863


Saturday


Dear Uncle


I received your kind letter some time since + I was glad to hear that the money had arrived safely + hope it may be of some little use to you before I shall want it. Our extra duty money (25cts a day) has been cut off by order of the war department. We are all in extremely good health here. Now there are no contagious diseases among us now, but the small pox is in Corinth. A great many of the men are being vaccinated for fear of catching it. I have been vaccinated 2 so I feel easy on that point. We are having a nice large…



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Personal letter continued

Hospital built out of a warehouse taken from Rienzi Ben Southern is (Boss) (???). I had a letter from sister Mary yesterday, she is well + living at Mr. Van (Scags). Do you think he is a good man. The men are getting furloughs now + I expect Henry Andrews will likely get a chance all the married men go first and as only three go from one company at a time + they are gone 30 days by the time my turn would come my discharge would pretty near…to several regiments have left Corinth + we suppose they have gone to watch Bragg. I do not see any prospect of the war ending this year. Hooker seems to cross the (???) backwards as many times as he does forward. Grant finds Vicksburg a tough place. The rebels are a match



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Personal letter continued

(for) our armies at those places. Although they will fall it will take time to do it. The soldiers are much more anxious to have the war end than most of the officers. It is very warm here now. (it) has rained for two days passed. I have had a good mess of green peas about two weeks ago. There are a few whortleberries here but the boys pick them as fast as they turn red. There will be plenty of blackberries when the time comes. We can buy butter + eggs of the…citizens butter at 50c per pound + eggs 40 c per doz. We sell them coffee at 6 or 5 + way out in the country where they can’t get inside our lines they have to pay for coffee $4.00 per (???)


Every thing is very dear with them. Every thing is quiet here….Mr. Dutro has



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Personal letter continued

(been) in the hospital some time with sore eyes. He is most well now. All the boys send their respects to you. Am sorry Aunt Adah should have such bad health + hope it will not last long. I think you will leave a nice place when you leave Sheffield. For I can imagine that since the trees + shrubs have grown up it must be a beautiful place. Give my love to grandmother + cousins + all. Expect Emma is quite a large girl now. Though I can only remember her as just beginning to talk.


Please excuse my mistakes. Love to all + please write soon.


Yours Respectfully


A.W.Bill



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Our Asst. Surgeon Dr. Edmund Vogel has resigned + retired + in his place we have Asst. Surg. Dr. Geo. Fitch. A Civilian who will serve a short time. He is a heavy man about 50 yrs. old + does not seem much of a doctor. He is a testy, fussy kind of old fellow + tries hard to be popular.


June 1863 (June 5th-1863) I am 18 yrs. Old today – Friday


Warm weather is with us again. The woods are charming, the hunting is good + men are out much of the time. On the steep bank west of Camp large bodies of Mimosa or (???) plant grow. The flower is a soft, pinkish kind of a ball. The leaves very pretty, but if you touch one it folds with the one opposite, like hands clasping. The vine runs along the ground + looks very beautiful when in masses.


Newspaper clipping

Vicksburg Military Park Commission. This article details the commission and dedication of Vicksburg as a national park



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July 1863. Hot + very heavy thunderstorms with hail + wind sometimes uprooting trees. Have a 2 weeks turn with Bilious fever, which keeps me prostrate all this month. July 1st, 2nd, 3rd 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. July 4 1863 Surrender of Vicksburg to Grant. Siege began May 18 1863. 37,000 prisoners 19 generals, 4000 officers, 310 guns, 35000 musket


August 1863 – Am better + around


September 1863 – The sweet wild grape, called the Muscatine is ripe + abounds in these woods. It is very healthy + we enjoy it very much. One of the cooks “Old Jim” has the habit of drinking the medical whiskey bottle dry. So that I am often “out” when needing some for the hospital. I take the bottle one day + partly filling it with whiskey, water + red pepper, put in a strong dose of tartar emetic + go away. During the afternoon I heard of a case of Colera Morbus to which the Dr. was hastily summoned. With effort he saves the patients life. The patient was “Old Jim” + the Cholera Morbus was from the Tartar Emetic. “Old Jim” never touched the medical whiskey again, but I always was afraid he would thrash me.



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Loose paper

Map of Gettysburg. Captioned: The fighting continued till the afternoon of the 3d, and resulted in the retreat of Lee and the loss to the Union army of 23,187, 16.543 of whom were killed and wounded.



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August 1863 – The summer is wearing on + we are yet idle in our luxurious camp. We begin to think we are fixed here for the war. During the year past I have read the hospital stock of medical books pretty thoroughly. I have learned much of the U.S. Dispensary by heart. Have become quite expert in compounding prescriptions. Can make most of the tinctures in use. Have made many experiments with drugs as to their chemical nature + physical properties + am on the way to be a young doctor. Dr. Pogue assists me with his books. I have a pocket case of instruments + very often prescribe for ordinary sickness.


During this month, men in several companies purchase with their own money the new Henry Repeating rifle – which fires 17 shots consecutively from a magazine along the barrel. The guns cost $45.00 each, but U.S. furnishes the ammunitions. 250 of these guns came in the first installment + finally many more until there were 400 in the regiment. The Corp say they are ready for cavalry now.


Illustration of the Henry Rifle captioned: To get ammunition for this write to Van Lenghert + Autone sporting goods, Chicago, Ills.


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