Grandecore Lousianna   April 15th 1864 Dear Eliza  I receivd your letter of the 13th March yesterday and I was very glad to here from you once more I would have writen sooner to you but thair was no chance to sent any mail from here  I dit think when we came out of Mississippi that I would get a chance to go home but I have given up all -p- hopes of giting home till I get home when we com back to Vigsburg was only two days their till we was sent on another exbidishon up Read River where we are now only a Short distance from Texes we have bin up here now over amonths and have had three  us retreat after we saved his whole army and himself every boty is down on him and think he sold his army and the next day the rebles atected our fleet and came very near giting it and we -w- avent again and safed it where ever we go the -l- rebles have to run away I will close now hoping this may find you all well as this leaves me I hope the time may soon com when we all shel see each other again give my love to all your affectionate  Husband   J. G. Burggraf 
        inside     left big fights the first was the taking of Fort Derusa where the Quene of the West was captured and the Indeanola was sunk and William Pease was taken prisner and from thair we went to Allexandra about 50 miles further up and thair the rebles run and    wood- would not fight and went about 150 miles further  up and thair mad a stand thair is parts of 3 army Corps here the 13th 16th and 19th uder Coment of Gen.  Nathaniel Prentice  Banks all nambering about 35,000, well on the 7th we ware ordert to march up the River towards Shrvesport about 80 miles from here we  marched the first day about 13 miles and campt the next day we marched som 10 miles when we heard the thunder of cannon and then we followed it up 10 miles more inside     right that day and camped again the 13th corps in front then the 19th then the 16th we ware in the rear the  13th went in first and got cut all to peases then the 19th relievd them and got drove back then we ware sent for and we punnished them well for what thay had don to the others we just wore? them slayed them the 49th being right in the mitzed of it a braver man then Major  Thomas W.  Morgan never  was he just avent right ahead and cheared the men his horse was shot right through the head but stood up through the fight wich lasted over two hours he stills lives yet, thair is a manyone that will never return home again we left the dead botis lying on the battle fiel by hunderts for some cause Gen Banks made