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Camp 13th Ill. Infty. Before VIcksburg March 17th 1863 My Dear Brother & Sister; There is in camp this morning a general curiosity as to what is about to take place in the great army now before & around Vicksburg. Rumors of all kinds are afloat in regard to our expected movements & the success of our troops in the yazoo. Heavy firing was heard yesterday P.M. & eve in the Yazoo and near the canal, this with the reports that our forces have got possession of the forts at Haines bluffs and that Grant has gone up the Yazoo makes the boys very anxious to know if the great, grand, & I may well say powerful movement is about to commence. Since I last wrote we have changed our camp. We are now nearly opposite the mouth of the Yazoo on the La side and we have a very good camp ground. We have thrown up streats though the different companies & made many little improvements so that we now have a fine camp; but how long should we enjoy it? Some weeks since I wrote you an account of the proceedings of the Co. in regards to officers after the attack at Chicsaw