Dear Father

I acknowledge the rect of 2 letters this morning bearing the date of the 22 & 25 And I read them with pleasure We are all well here in in Camp & enjoying ourselves the best we can It is very pleasant wether and warm now with an occassional shower of rain which the ground needs it here We have been at work putting up one of the niceest of camps we have put up crotches and poles and put our dog tents on for a roof and the walls are wove in with evergreen boughs they are put up in the shape of a shed and they open on our compy front we have it all closed up but some doors to go out of we have got it fixed up nice and then we have some arches over each end made of evergreens and each compy has tried to see which could do the best if I could get a picture of the front I would and send it home it would please you to come into one camp and stay over night and longer if you can stand it we have very good liveing now

We have a few meals of potatoes of late which is a rareity and I miss them as much as any other one thing but if they grow this season farmers will have to look out for some if I am around You wanted to know if Lieut Losure had got his Comission yet he has not there is some excitement about who shall be our Col some are for Hayes and some for Slevin [i.e., Col. Patrick S. Slevin, 100th Ohio Infantry] I hope Hayes will get it if either of the two Slevin certainly is not competent to command a battallion for when ever we go out almost the first thing is head of collume to the left and the boys have got so if they see him comeing they say head of colume to the left We had Brigaid drill yesterday afternoon we had a good time of it untill it began to rain and then that broke it up The news is very good in the last papers I have not seen to days paper the report was that Grant had taken 68 pieces of cannon and 10000 prisoners and had gained the outer works of the enemy at Vicksburg and that in all probibillity was that our troops ocupied the place an other report

was that he had taken Hines bluff and turned the guns on the water batterys and that the gunboats were at work I see the most of the officers are inclined to believe it if it is so it is certainly a hard blow for them the rebel reports say that Pemberton went out with 60 pieces of cannon and came in with only 3 he done well did I just spoke with Metts about that piece of paper that you wrote on he said it was Jess Miley that was spending his time in such places Jeff Case [i.e., Thomas J. Case, Wagoner, Co. H, 100th Ohio Infantry] told him and he said at that time that if Jess did not tend to his business better he would put him in the ranks you must keep still about it as you can he is the only one of the Company that I should think would think of doing any such thing he certainly does not send home any money whether he spends it there or not it came very strait at all events Jeff would not say any such thing if there was no grounds for it for Jeff is an honest man as far as I know It is rather hard to think that a man will so far forget himself and family to go to such places I could tell him

if he is not carefull he will get burnt by them after a while I have just been on battallion drill we had a very good time of it there is none of the boys started home yet on furlough I do not know when they will either there is some delay somewhere but where I do not know Well I must close by saying good by write soon and all of the news My love to all

H E Randall

P S did that valentine that I sent to [2 words illeg] did you let them have it or did you keep it yourself please let me know this time