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R. C. Jr. Ark. Post Jan. 15/63, Dear Sister, I received your letter of the 28th this morning I wrote you a short note on Monday informing you of my safe trip through the fight. Two weeks from the day, Saturday, of our disembarking at Vixburg, we were doing the same here. In the early part of the day, we marched to withing about a mile of the fort, but out of sight, here we laid untill nearly Sun set, when the gun boats commenced shelling the fort to draw their attention, while the two divisions (Smith's & Steel's) marched in the dark, and mud, a round [begin vertical writing] I suppose that Capt. T. will be at Alton as soon as this letter. Mathews was one of the best boys in the Company lively good naturred and full of fun. [end vertical writing]