Camp Randall, Madison Wisconsin, Sunday afternoon, July 19th, '63
Dear Wife:
I arrived here safe and have had good health since my arrival although the time as usual passes slowly and gloomily away. I have been to the city one day since I cam back and today I have been to the lake and back on a pass. I enjoyed myself well. It is raining some here today. The nights are very cold for the time of year. There has been frost in different parts of the country that has killed much of the corn on the lowlands.
War news is very good. Port Hudson as well as Vicksburg have been taken by our victorious army, so that we have the length of the Mississippi River. This will undoubtedly weaken the Rebel cause very much. The newspapers of yesterday state that Charleston, S. C., has been taken by General Banks, being first set on fire by the Rebel General Bureaugard. I think there is some doubt about the capture of Charleston but from well authenticated accounts the Rebels have lost over 80 thousand men in killed wounded and taken prisoner and by desertion since the first of July. Some think the most of the hard fighting is done with. Such is the opinion of most men I have talked with. I do not know yet whether I am to be sent to my command or be put into the invalid corps, but I think I shall be sent from here to some place in a few days. I wrote Manly Friday last.
You must write as often as you can and tell me all the little news and things that are interesting. Give my regards to all the family.
There are no troops here. They have all gone to help enforce the draft. It is said that the people are trying to resist the draft in different parts of the country. There has been a terrible riot in the city of New York in which hundreds of Negroes and white men and women and children have been killed. There were three regiments called home from the army to put down the mob that was raging with terrific strife most of the time that I was at home. The mob is said to be put down at this time. We are truly living in perilous times.
Kiss baby for me and remember me as your affectionate husband,
C. N. Mumford