According to John, they are now about twenty-two miles from Milliken's Bend. They had to march for seventeen miles yesterday with knapsacks on their backs and John says that he is now as strong as he has ever been.

He has bought a new pair of boots which cost ten dollars - there was nothing cheaper to be had. He sends five dollars home so that his mother can buy a new gown.

John believes that Vicksburg will fall within the next two weeks. He says that they are now within six miles of Jeff Dafis's planatation where there was much fighting yesterday. A Colonel from an Ohio regiment was killed and John saw some of the prisoners.

He also mentions the snakes which are the largest he has ever seen, some of them being between four and six feet long.

At the end of his letter he tells his parents that it might be a long time before he gets a chance to write again and he hopes that they will keep their spirits up.