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Camp near Morton, Miss. July 23d 1863 Dear Lizzy,

In our [?] of the ? ?, & disturbance [?] [?] [?] I have not answered a long letter you wrote a few weeks ago [nor?] a letter written since dated July 3, but which I got only a day or two ago. About the [?] of July the army moved up towards the Big Black River [about?] [15?] [?] from Vicksburg to [attempt?] [?] [?] place that is with about 24 [?] men to defeat an intrenched [army?] of not less than 78 - and [?] by me alone ? ? ..regretable writing? country? with roads blockaded to attack [an?] army in [such?] a position with the Big Black [?] [?] but a short distance, & but a [single?] [bridge?] about 8 or 10 feet wide to cross the whole army on in the event of a repulse, and nothing [behind?] to help, would have been a task [rather?] [rare?] to [perform?] to the entire [satisfaction?] of all parties. The day before the River was to have been crossed news came of the surrender of Vicksburg, & the army was forced to retreat, being in a position to be cut off, to Jackson which had a good [?] [?] [?] [?] [north?] of it [?] entrenchments [as?] fortifications. After shooting [?], & being shot at for several days the army withdrew to this point where it will [remain?] no one knows [how?] [long?] at present. The yankees are about to attack Mobile or did, & Rosecrans Spring advance into [G. a.?] Gen. Lee's march into Pennsylvania was most ridiculous & hurtful. It has shown our weakness was really the cause of losing Vicksburg for men were sent [in?], [who ought?]

to have been sent here at least 2 months ago. It was [an?] absurd & [after?] the campaign of [last fall?] in Maryland our [? ? ? ?]. I do not know if your Uncle Dick thought the invasion a good & proper [ruse?], but if he did he is as fit for a [L?] [Genl?] as is John Brown to run a [?] in this climate [&?] you will I hope take pains to let Cousin Lysinka & her friends, as well as the General himself know. If Charleston, Mobile, and Richmond should be taken, & our armies ? to retreat the persistant, & retreating ladies would [soon?] be confined to [an?] [area?] [?] small [?] [?]. The people of this state who were so ready to [?] now apparently as ready to do anything to [?] their property & themselves. It is [no?] good [?] on the yankees. They do not [?] with {Northern?] [but?] [?] [off?] his negroes & plunder his property.