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Regiment: 6th Wisconsin Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Vicksburg, Mississippi
Historical Figures: Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant
Head Quarters 1st Brig
1st Div 1st Army Corps
June 11th 1863
Dear Brother
I received
your most welcome letter
this afternoon mail
Glad to hear you are all
well I am well We are
in our old camp (that is the one
we came to after coming back to this side of R
yet But have had everything
ready to march 3 different
times Since I last wrote
Orders came this noon to be
ready to march on Short
notice So we are under marc-
hing orders now We may
March tonight any maynot
march in a week one of the
Regts 7th Wis is out now
have been gone ever since
Sunday afternoon They was
in this last fight on the Rappa (hannok)
between our Cavalry and the
Reb cav I think they was not
engaged but was kjept for
a reserve The River is but
about 1 ½ miles from here
and Fredericksburg 4 miles
The 6th Amry corps (2d Div)
is over the River and have
built rifle pits and breast works
There is artillery fireing occasionally
But it don’t amount to much
Sunday I attended meeting
in the 24th Michigan Regt
The meeting was held in
a pine grove The Chaplain
had two cracker boxes
for a pulpit The boys
found Seats on the ground
and leaned against the
trees The chaplain had just
commenced his Sermon when
all of a sudden the boys
got up and made a rush
in the direction of their Regts
The chaplain was completely
dumfounded and So was
I for I did not know what
was the matter the cause
of it was marching orders
for the 7th Wis and 19th Ind
Regts one of the Soldiers
informed the chaplain
of the fact the chaplain said
we must obey orders But
as it was only for the 7th
and 19th We would continue
the Service which we did
without any further interruption
The 19th was not ordered a
mistake There was fighting
the while on the other side
of River
I have received longer
letters from you than I
could expect or did while
you are so busy with the
Pottery I am always glad
to hear from any of you let
them be ever So Short
Elon told me he wrote you
He is a good boy and
a true friend to me
I heard today that a dispatch
was received at Div. H.2.
that Vicksburg is ours
I do not know how true
is is hope it is so It will shurely
fall into Grants hands western
men are out there If it was not
for the few western men that
is in this army It would not
be worth anything all three
years men will have a chance
to serve out their time As
long as I stop here I am
all right we have 13
month to stop yet
There is a New Jersey
Brigade in our division
their time is out saturday
Theres is the 26th 29th and 30th Regts
and one other that I do not
know. The number of it
They are cleaning themselves
up before going Genl
Lee is just on the other
side He is just afraid to leave
and go to vicksburg and
our Army is to small to
make a grand attack
we have to Keep him here
and to do that we have
cross the river and Keep
troops moving on their
right and left so that
they cannot tell where we
will cross. It will keep them
here and Grant will
Stand a better chance
I think Mother did
as well as She could
and I wrote her to
that effict a lot
in the middle cost (150) Dollars
I am glad She has a
home I suppose there
will be great times
throught the North on the
4th of July especialy
if Grant takes Vicksburg
before that time
Tommorrow there
is one of Co Y 19th Indania
Regt to be Shot to death
for desertion He was captured
at Chancollorville fight
with Rebel clothes on
5 of our Hd. Qr. Guard
took him to Division
Hd. Qr. he had hand
cuffs on his wrists We did
not know hwat he had
done or what they was
going to do with him
while we was takeing
him to Headquarters He
did not know himself
when we arrived at
Headquarters Lieut Rogers
Provost Marshall handed
him the procedeings of his
Court Martials and his
sentence Lieut told him
he had unpleasant news
for him (I thought he was going
to the “Rife Raps”) and a painful
task for him to preform
but his duty compeled him
to do it The Prisoner
took the paper and looked
at his Sentence his lips
quivered and his hand
trembled slightly
He could not read it all
he was so agitated He
finly got his nerves steady
and read all of it.
The Lieut asked him
if he would like to write
He said he would so
the Lieut Sent one of us
boys to get him
his things from Regt
He thanked the Lieut
for his kindness I hate
a deserter but I do pity
him and hope the President
will repreve the order
He is a clean and good
looking Soldier I will
now close with my love
to all
Your Affectionate Bro
Mair Pointon
We are 1st Brigade now
instead of 4th Brigade
