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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Vicksburg, Mississippi
Historical Figures: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee
Grand Rapids. July 8th 1863
Dear Mary
I suppose what you want
to know most of all is if we have got
a letter for you from Gardner. well
yes I have got one that I received yester-
-day. he was one mile from the Pennsyl
vania line. they were after Lee and
they were expecting to have a hard
fight. and that they have had and
the report is that they have drove the
rebels from Pennsylvania and they
are following them up. mondays pa-
per said that Jeff Davis had ordered
Lee back to defend Richmond and
if it is true they consider Richmond
in danger of course Gardner did not
write but a few lines for he said they
were ordered to march and they must go
but if he is all right we shall hear
from him again in a few days I think
Vicksburg has made an unconditional
surrender and you ought to have heard
the citizens of Grand Rapids fire the
cannon last night and night before
last thirty four guns eache night.
well I think they had better save their
powder for fear they may want it for some
other use.
I received your letter at the same time
that I did Gardners. and I think on
the whole you had quite a jolly time
for so short a jurny but I want you
should visit fast and get rady to come
home as soon as you can for I expect
Celia will go away the last of the week
and then I shall be all alone. I must
stop now for Celia is going down to
the office and I want she should take
this along. Harriet Baxter
[On Envelope:]
Miss Mary J. Baxter.
Muskegon.
Michigan
