Transcribed and Submitted by
Teri Button
Great Great Granddaughter of Charles Hennrich, Company D.
Vicksburg
Feb 2, 1864
Dear Parents,
I received your letter of January 18th the 2nd of February and see by it that you are all still well, as I, thank God, also am.
Dear parents, we are now going to spend some time in the field. I do not know when we will return, but we will hope for the best.
We left Memphis the 28th of January and arrived at Vicksburg the 30th where we lay for two days on the water, and the 1st of February we marched 3 miles beyond the town and are laying here until the Army is all together.
In Vicksburg I ran across several acquaintances from the 16th Iowa Regiment; namely, both the Thomson boys and the Zucker boy. They are all well and look fresh.
It is said that we will leave here the 3rd of February to go to Jackson, Mississippi. There the rebel, General Johnston, is said to be making ready for a stand. If he stays put it will be a lively dance. We have left all our surplus stuff in Vicksburg in order to be able to march better.
The weather is pretty warm down here already. One can go about day in shirt sleeves. I wrote a letter the 25th of January when I thought I would not be able to write to you so soon again.
I do not know much that is new right now. It is almost night and we must get ready for the march tomorrow.
Greetings to all of you. Greet little Ernst for me, and also Heinrich Kreckel and his family. Heinrich Waterman sends greetings to his family and says that he has received their letter. He is still well and lively. At the moment he has no time to write as he is too busy. You will be so good as to tell his parents.
Heinrich and I, we are a couple of buddies and will not fail each other in time of need. You must not become uneasy if you do not receive a letter for some time.
Charles Hennrich And Henry Waterman
NOTES: The 16th Iowa Infantry mentioned in this letter was captured, as a unit, 22nd July 1864 during the Battle of Atlanta. Most of the enlisted men were exchanged during September 1864