Siege of Blakely, Ala. Apr. 5th 1865

Dear Sister,

your Welcome Letter of the 15th of March came to have on the 2nd inst. it found me well. I hope these few lines Will find you All the same. the Weather is getting very warm. I hope we Shall Be Able to capture these places before July As that Month And August is the hottest of the year. theres A prospect of our getting paid. the Major As received orders to send the pay Rolls to New Orleans. the commander of comp anies has Made out the rolls to Day for ten Months Pay. its more then I like to Receive here in this Wilderness. it seems As though they waited till we Got to A place where we couldnt spend it or send it Home Without great risk. I dont feel like loosing Another twenty Dollars but I shall have to Risk it. they Would have owed us A years pay At the End of this Month.

We have been in Camp two Days with Nothing to Do but I Expect we shall have to Make it Up one of these fine Days. we Are going to be in Want of Writing Materials As No settlers is Allowed to follow us. if we get paid I shall have to Send the paper & Envelopes if we dont get A chance to Buy. the boys As been out of tobacco But the government Issued some to Day. I sold Mine for fifty cents. one third of a common plug. Tobacco is Dear stuff Down here. Smith Opened heavy Artillery last Night for two hours on fort Spanish but failed to Make them Surrender. has been quiet to Day. its Suppose Hes planting More Artillery. it was the heaviest Cannonading I have Ever heard. I was rather Surprised to hear of Mary And Sam getting Married. but perhaps She thought it Wouldnt Do to let Every chance go. I guess Sam Will Make A good Blustering Husband if Nothing More. I received tommys letter the same time I did yours with four stamps inside of it. I must close for to Day. Joseph Slagg