.NDIx.NTc4

[1]

Bowdon 21 Ap’l 1863 My dear Cousin,

(Perhaps you may [read?.] the [cl...?.] that I can now put in your hands [help?] us [?] [?] [recd?] which [envelopes?] the fate of our dear boy. The enclosed account is what informs – my wife doubts it. Nannie and Molly insists that he was not drowned but is a prisoner, for he crossed over safe & was crossed continually.

The latest account made in Richmond 5 March was in a letter from Dab- ney dated Vicksburg 3 Feb. on which staff was my dear– a Lt. He had then been missing since Lewisburg the 27 Jany. on which day he went alone along the [locomotion?] road to examine the boats

[2]

“Upon inquiring next day” says Dabney I ascertained that he had taken the direction of a levee extend- -ing from [a...?] harvest bottoms across a timber- ed swamp down to the Miss. river. There was a brook in this levee through which the water is running. on the edge of this [ river ?] the tracks of his move. entering the water & he crossed it & was caught next day on the levee beyond the brook. His tracks went along the levee 2 miles. And there is hope that Johnny was captured by a scouting party of the enemy whose troops were [? ] the opposite side of the river[‘side....river’ crossed out] shore just in front of where Johnny was last seen.”