Envelope postmarked May 5. (5 letters in it. city?, Tex. Soldiers Letter, 96th Regt OVI S. A. Stark, Adjt.
Perkins Plantation April 29, 63..
Dear Friends
as I have a Chance to send a few lines to you I embrace the opportunity gladly.. first I am well. which is a great blessing to me. I shall have to be brief about my writing for the mail goes out in a few moments. I got your letter dated april 12 & 15th was glad to hear from you. and very glad to hear how the Election went. We are camped on a plantation on the Miss River. below Vicksburg.. I wrote you when I was at Hames Plantation and and told you about sending my money & overcoate.. when I was at the Bend I sent my overcoat home by express. Sent it to Mr. Potter, Delaware and you can get it by going to him.. and I sent fifty. Dollars home by Major Mc elroy of our Regt. you will find him by going to Delaware.. if you get them let me know. We are about 25 miles below Vicksburg. Our men have made an atack on the enemy at Grand Gulf about 15 miles below where we now are.. we have got any amount of troops down here. the 96th Regt was left with one other Regt/ (the 6Oth Ind) to guard the landing and the others have gone on down to the Gulf. they expect to have a big fight there and if our men are successful it will be the downfall of Vicksburg or Port Husdon. they have comenced fighting we can hear the canon.. I shall have to stop for the male is going out very soon. You wanted to know what I thought about buying a calf with my money. you may do just what you think best & it is yours to do with.. it will suite me any way you think best.. Direct as before.
Lu Carhart
I will write again and let you know more about it.. the 20th Ohio Regt & 32 Ohio pased here last night. I saw Chauney & Charles Smith. the are both well..