The following letter was written by Isaac Newton (“Newt”) Haldeman (b. 1840), the son of Isaac Haldeman (1812-1885) and Maria Miller (1823-1910) of Wapsinonoc, Muscatine county, Iowa. Newt enlisted as a corporal in Co. F, 22nd Iowa Infantry in September 1862.

Newt wrote this letter some three weeks after the surrender of Vicksburg which was followed quickly by a march to Jackson, Mississippi, and return. See also—1864: Isaac Newton Haldeman to his Sister.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Vicksburg [Mississippi]
July 26th 1863

My dear Sister,

I received your good long letter last evening. I am mistaken—it was father’s letter I received last evening & yours a few nights ago. Since I last wrote you this great stronghold of the Mississippi has at last fallen, which caused the hearts of many a soldier in rear of Vicksburg to bound with joy when the “white flag” was run up over the fortifications surrounding the city. You asked me what I thought was hte number of men that composed this army. It consists of four Army Corps commanded respectively by Gen. Osterhaus, Gen. Sherman, Gen. Ord, Gen. McPherson, and Gen. Burnside’s Corps is also here, together with a portion of Gen. Herron’s Corps. By whom these last named Corps are commanded, I can’t tell. Now if all these Corps were all full, we would have an army of nearly 200,000 men, but as the army is very much reduced by disease, sickness, killed, &c., that there is not 100,000 I don’t think.

Since I last wrote you I have been to, or within 1.5 miles of Jackson. I would like to have gone in and seen the town but I did not feel able to walk and so I could not go. I had just arrived there when our regiment was ordered back here to Vicksburg. I did not stand the trip very well but feel better now. We are now encamped on the bank of the Mississippi on the inside of the rebel works one and a half miles south of the city. How long we will remain here is more than I can tell, or where we will go. It is supposed by some we will go up into Tennessee and some think we will go farther south. It is not likely we will remain inactive long, if there is anything to do.

The health of the army is not very good. We had another man die out of our company yesterday. All the boys of your acquaintance are well.

Tell father I received a letter from him last evening containing some postage stamps. I was lucky enough a few days ago to buy half a dollar’s worth so I am well supplied for some time to come as I don’t write more than one half the letters I use to.

Min, how many letters do you suppose I have written home since coming into the army? I thought from what father said you had saved my letters. If you can tell me I wish you would. I also received last evening a letter from Charley and Elmore written by father. I will answer them both as soon as possible. I will have to close as it is mail time. Love to all. Write soon. Affectionately, — Newt