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Beside some 5000 small arms and it good number of larg once our regiment box in at 3 [kild?] and 18 [wounded?] our company we lost our second lentienanant 5 companies of our regt went with the prisoners part of them went to springfield and part of To Chicago our companys are in springfield the other 5 is at vicksburgs we are one of General Grant division the army here is making Preparation to [tacted?] vicksburg i think we will have it in our hands in the course of a month the health of troops is pretty At present as for myself have only been sick 2 weeks John I hope you will this letter as we are on the march trying to get in the rear of vicksburg

Direct to Robert Forsyth

Co. A 179th Regt. Ills. Vols. 9th Brigade 2nd Division Gen Grants Army 1863