PRINTED ON WALL PAPER IN THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.]

_June 13th, 1863_.--Shell burst just over the roof this morning. Pieces
tore through both floors down into the dining-room. The entire ceiling of
that room fell in a mass. We had just left it. Every piece of crockery on
the table was smashed. The "Daily Citizen" to-day is a foot and a half
long and six inches wide. It has a long letter from a Federal officer, P.
P. Hill, who was on the gun-boat _Cincinnati_, that was sunk May 27th.
Says it was found in his floating trunk. The editorial says, "The utmost
confidence is felt that we can maintain our position until succor comes
from outside. The undaunted Johnston is at hand."

_June 18th_.--To-day the "Citizen" is printed on wall paper; therefore has
grown a little in size. It says, "But a few days more and Johnston will be
here"; also that "Kirby Smith has driven Banks from Port Hudson," and that
"the enemy are throwing incendiary shells in."

_June 20th_.--The gentleman who took our cave came yesterday to invite us
to come to it, because, he said, "it's going to be very bad to-day." I
don't know why he thought so. We went, and found his own and another
family in it; sat outside and watched the shells till we concluded the
cellar was as good a place as that hill-side. I fear the want of good food
is breaking down H. I know from my own feelings of weakness, but mine is
not an American constitution and has a recuperative power that his has
not.

_June 21st, 1863_.--I had gone upstairs to-day during the interregnum to
enjoy a rest on my bed and read the reliable items in the "Citizen," when
a shell burst right outside the window in front of me. Pieces flew in,
striking all round me, tearing down masses of plaster that came tumbling
over me. When H. rushed in I was crawling out of the plaster, digging it
out of my eyes and hair. When he picked up beside my pillow a piece as
large as a saucer, I realized my narrow escape. The window-frame began to
smoke, and we saw the house was on fire. H. ran for a hatchet and I for
water, and we put it out. Another (shell) came crashing near, and I
snatched up my comb and brush and ran down here. It has taken all the
afternoon to get the plaster out of my hair, for my hands were rather
shaky.

_June 25th_.--A horrible day. The most horrible yet to me, because I've
lost my nerve. We were all in the cellar, when a shell came tearing
through the roof, burst upstairs, and tore up that room