Before Vicksburg, Tuesday, June 9. A sharp engagement took place on our right last night which almost approached a battle. General Logan was advancing a cotton cased car under the enemy’s feet with the intention of running up in this a battery into the rebels’ works. He had been working on it for several nights and was progressing fine, but slow, as he had to dig by the sharp-shooters. Kept the rebs down by discharging frequent volleys in the dark, but last night they returned it with much zeal, and threw rockets over their works which accomplished its aim and burned the cotton to the ground. Our artillery soon made things quiet. The caisson gone to the landing this morning for ammunition. Geo. took his team for the 6th Wisconsin.
I am here all alone to-day, a thing unusual. For awhile I found ample company in reading the Monthlies, but my mind wanders way back to dear Wisconsin, and a strange feeling of lonesomeness comes over me as I lie here in this, what now looks like the hermit’s retreat.
