Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913 to John Damuth

Writes to his family on Christmas evening. Letter is a lengthy description of the events of the past few days. Damuth's camp has crossed the river at Helena after burning their old camping ground. Describes the lengthy process of crossing the river with mules, wagons and all of the regiment's equipment. The men are divided into squads of twelve. All the men must throw away their excess belongings, so Damuth gives a black man one of his cotton shirts, "it was the last thing I had that ma made for me." The soldiers board a ship to head to their new camp and are fired at by Rebel soldiers who flee when the Union boat lands. At Friars Point, there are about twenty houses. Damuth comments on the girls of the town, "all dressed up but they looked like the devil." A post office is going to be set up to send provisions to Grant's army. Again mentions some problems with a business transaction that took place in Wisconsin before Damuth went south.