July 20th, 1863, the Regiment marched back to Vicksburg, and on the 25th of July embarked for Natchez. here it made an excursion back into the country to Kingston, capturing a vast pile of Confederate cotton. August 10, 1863, In company with the Forty-seventh Indiana, it embarked for New Orleans. These were the first Western troops making the descent of the Mississippi River. Here the Second Brigade-Slack's-was assigned to the Third Division of the Thirteenth Corps. September 13, 1863, found the Regiment at Brashear City, La. While here the Colonel, John E. Whiting, resigned on account of ill health, Colonel John M. Crebs taking command officially, as he had been the commander virtually after the regiment arrived at Memphis, Tenn. During September and October the Regiment was engaged in the movements along the Atchafalaya and Teche Bayous, being in the affairs at Grand Coteau and Vermillionville, La. In November, 1863, the Regiment was mounted on the stock of the country-mustangs,Mexican,ponies and mules-it rode everything except steers-and were occupied in scouting duty about Franklin and New Iberia, La. By strict attention to business, good judgement as regards horses, dash and energy, it was the best mounted Regiment in the Department of the Gulf in less than three months. In February, 1864, with the First Louisiana, it formed the Third Brigade, Colonel H. Robinson commanding, in the Cavalry Division of the Department of the Gulf, in command of general A. L. Lee. March 14, 1864, the Eighty-seventh led the cavalry movement from Franklin, La., on the Red River campaign. _______________________________________ Franklin, Louisiana Febuary the 14th/64 My Dear Elizabeth with Jesus this beautiful sabeth morning I seat my self to drop you a few lines to inform you that I am well & harty hoping that this may come to hand in due time & find you & the litle children injoying good helth I have nothing of importence to write the wether here now is beautiful the sun shines brite this norning the green grass is coming on fast what few gardens thare is is coming on nice peas cabeg & letice is nearly green & the wether is warm anough in the midle of the day to make us hunt for shade we got some more horses the other day but our harnesses brakes down faster than we can get them my horse was shot the other day & I have not got any now our duty is not very heavy now & it is said that thare is a brigade coming out from the city to relieve us & we are going to the city in a few days I have bin down to Brashear City after horses I went down on a boat & rode horses back I am expecting to start to night to Terabone station on a 7 days furlough I wish it was 77 so I could go on & sea my sweet hart but it cant be helpt but time is roling on my time was half out yesterday you said that you was in hopes that I would do as well the next 18 months it is true that I have come out tolerble well but I am in hopes that I will not have a rough a times as I have had for I have had some narow escaps & had some sickness but I could have done more but you put me in mind of some of the boys when some of them is at work spading or diging they will say to each other that it goes easey dont it but not with standing I have done well & I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for all the blessings he has bestode on me I think I am going to come out ( if I have good luck ) ( & live ) a stouter man & helthear beter preparde to stand the rub of the world & beter preparde to make my litle home hapy for that is all my studys now is to make home hapy for it is the best plase in the world tho it may seam lonly to you now but thare is more happiness to be sean at that litle plase than in all the citys of the united states & when I think of you & the two litle babys thare all alone it makes me hapy not with standing you have to do many things that I would like to take off of your hands if it was posable but it looks to me like you could be hapeer thare all alone than crowded up with some body else & all I lack of being the happiest man on earth is being thare with you & my litle children tho I feal unworthy of the situation but I do not think that I have any thing else to do in this world but to take care of you & the children & I am going to try to make home the happiest of all other places as far as it lays in my power & I think that if I live to get home I can do a good deal to mak that litle place comfertable you must not think that I would doubt your ability to take charge of what money I send home for I take plesur in trading with you my hard earnings for I am confident that you will not spend my money foolishly & you no I have often told you that I did not want you to sufer for the nesarys of life such as plenty of good warm cloths for you & the children & plenty to eat I am sory that you are out of money I would have sent you some money the other day day but I was out on picket when the express agent came & could not send it & it has bin longer that I anticipated it would be til I drawed again & now it will no be long til thare will be 4 months due us I cant tel you how long it wil be befour I will draw but I am in hopes that it wont be long do not be uneasy but what I wil send you plenty of mony if nothing hapens to me now I hav to go out on inspection & I will finish my leter afterwards yours = I went thru inspection tolerble well I have to have my gun as brite as a dollar the Company is a helthy as they could ask we hav not herd as yet whether the oferses has got any new recreuts or not I mout hav bin to much out of order the last leter & said more than I ought to if I did you must make alowance for it & not think hard of me I have herd no more about the mater & do not want to the President has cald for 500,000 more men to be drafted next march a boy has just com in & give me a paper I will send it to you after I hav read it I do not no that thare is any thing in it but mabe you can find something to interst you lonsum hours I have had newspapers stamps along time & can not use them beter I will now close by saing write soon I will not seal this til evening mabe the mail will come yours truly M A Hooker to Elizabeth Hooker _______________________________ Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723