1 PM Saturday

I will now try to finish my letter without making another break ---- when I had written my account of our campaign as far as Gaines I was called off to make Pay Rolls for the Company since which every thing has been bustle and excitement and all the events of a great retreat.

We landed at Millikens Bend in the night and early next morning were ordered to cook two days rations and be ready to march in two hours. Accordingly we got every thing ready and when our time was up our Brigade was on the march through the Louisiana swamps and Bayous. We walked tne walked for twenty five miles when we struck the Vicksburgh and Texas Rail Road at Dallas Station where we Bivouacked for the night. A detail was son made to tear up the Rail Road track which was done for several miles – our Adjutant got up an expedition of his own in the night and captured a Confederate Calalryman besides taking another Town. That was our Christmas. Friday morning we burnt the Bridge at Dallas, saw a few Guerrillas in the woods, fired three or four shells at them and by 11 AM were on our way back to the boats. Had a hard march and by 10 PM were safe aboard and felt quite at home.

Saturday we ran down to the mouth of the Yazoo and 12 miles up that river to Old River where the boys went ashore and cooked 3 days rations --- in the night we marched six or seven miles through mud and swamps to our advanced lines – early Sunday morning our Brigade was in line and on the move. We formed in line under the Bluffs and laid in the woods and listened to the Battle on our left where Morgans Division was trying to cross the Bayou on a Bridge. It was a well fought Battle not any particular advantage being gained by either side. Sunday night and Monday our Company was on duty as Picket Guard and Skirmishers. The night was very quiet but early next morning work commenced on our left gain. Our forces had built a bridge and a breastwork of logs to defend it. The Rebels had an earthwork on the other side of the Bayou within two or three Hunderd Yards of ours and they fired away at each other all day doing some of the heaviest musketry firing I ever heard and an occasional shell dropped into the woods where we were lying. Kept our Brigade in a high state of excitement all day --- During the day two Companies of the 8th Missouri Regt crossed the bridge under fire and laid down under the enemys intrenchments where they were obliged to lay all day as they were not strong enough to take the fort and could not get back to the bridge without drawing the fire of other earthworks --- they lay so near the enemys works that when a gun was put over the top of the Breastwork they could catch it with their hands --- when they came back that night they left 26 of their number on the field – that night was the last firing of the Battle of Vicksburgh. Next morning we went to building breast works and taking up heavy seige guns. Wednesday I came down to the Boat and spent New Years day working on Pay Rolls. After dark orders came to be ready to move and every thing was loaded onthe Boats --- About 10 O clock here they came Officers and men, Seige Batteries and Field Batteries, Generals, Escorts and Wagon trains in a long line and on to the boats and everything quiet again until morning and that ended the siege of Vickburgh --- Yesterday as we watched the long line of Steamers shoving out one by one under the protection of the Gunboats there was many a sad looking face and many acurse for these soldiers will swear when out of humour ---

Gen. Burbridge is on our boat and I thought as I met him yesterday that for one day at least I did not envy him his position --- to night we are back to Millikins Bend going I Know not where but will write again as soon as I have time.

Wm. H. Jordan