Wednesday, 2d–We now have a good market house established here which has cut the cost of provisions; formerly the army sutlers had a corner on everything. I bought a barrel of potatoes for $4.00, which, without the market house, would have taken $12.00 out of my month’s pay. The provisions come from the North and are sold by retailers occupying stalls in the market house. They are usually at it as early as 3 o’clock in the morning.
Two brigades came up from Natchez this morning and went out to Black river bridge to reinforce the post there. A report reached camp to the effect that General Grant has raised the siege of Chattanooga and put Bragg’s army to rout, gaining a glorious victory. We threw up our hats and cheered for Grant. Sherman routed Longstreet from the siege of Knoxville, Tennessee. Everything seems to be coming our way again.