1862 Letter From Confederate Soldier Andrew Jackson Bass in Camp Lee Virginia

Soldier

38th Alabama Infantry, C.S.A.

October 31, 1862

Camp Lee, near Richmond.

Dear wife it is with pleasure I seat my self down to inform you that I am not well at this (time? ) [unreadable due to water damage] to be up I hope these few (lines?) may reach you soon and find you and the children all well. ?

I can say to you it would be more satisfaction to me to be at home with you and my dear little children. That is all so (?) and dear to me than it (unreadable) Confederate States is (worth ? unreadable) to me though I am here and (unreadable) for me to get off.

I was supposed to be examined yesterday. Dear wife, don’t grieve for me it will do no good but let me say to you pray for me with all your heart that if we never meet on earth again that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more.

Go to meeting as often as you can and take the children and tell at this point it ends and takes up on another page, sentence unfinished) Dear Wife let me say to you content yourself as much as you can. I think if peace is not made by Christmas I can get a discharge by then any how:

I will say to you we may be hear 2 or 3 months all that had had the measles was carried on to regiment the rest was left hear to stay til they have them. We are living on half rations. Here corn is 8 dollars a bushel sweet potatoes 6 dollars.

I can say to you I landed here this day was 2 weeks ago .I have been a waiting thinking I would get off and I will keep a trying for it . I don’t think they will keep me very long. I will say to you I want you to rite to me as soon as you can when you get this letter. Direct your letter to camp lee near Richmond in care of Colonel Sheets to the 3 Ala conscripts.

So nothing more at present only remain your loving and affectionate 

Notes: Andrew Jackson Bass was born 1830 in Blue Springs, Barbour Co, Alabama. He married Ellander "Ellen" Davis born July 28, 1839 in Abbieville, Henry Co, Alabama. They married September 17, 1857 in Barbour Co, Alabama. Their children were all born in Barbour Co. Children: Thomas B. Bass abt. 1857 Henry Wilburn Bass 1859 Andrew J. Bass,Jr. June 1861 Ellen had 2 children after her husband's death. Elsey Bass abt. 1865 John Jessie Marion Bass February 02, 1869 Ellen Davis Bass died abt. 1916 in Barbour Co, Alabama.

This letter From Andrew Jackson Bass to his wife, Ellendar Davis Bass Dated October 31, 1862 Written from Camp Lee, Virginia. He was in a hospital at Camp Lee, near Richmond, Virginia. He had contracted measles and died on November 20, 1862, just 20 days after this letter was written.
Source:http://www.pastvoices.com/usa/bass1862.shtml

Selma, Alabama 1862

Civil War letter from Selma, Alabama from March 26, 1862. It is from A.L. Haden and is 3 pages long and is all handwritten. Here are some highlights of the letter:

Our people have not been fully aroused, they are now beginning to be and I hope ere long we shall be a unit, we are now fighting on the Mississippi River at Island #10 and if we hold that place and whip the enemy at Corinth I shall be very hopeful and if we fail there I will not despair for we shall then have to adopt a new policy which if vigorously carried would we will kill them off. I mean guerilla war. Ambush them and kill in every case where it is possible and this we can do when they undertake to march through the country as it seems they will do if they can, if we had built boats iron clad at the outset we would have whipped them long since…

The Merrimac is what we need at every place now and one such at each seaport would secure our safety it is late to begin but I am in favor of beginning now and moving as vigorously as possible. Mobile is threatened and if they take it we shall have their gun boats at this place, we have neither men nor arms here, but we have the torch, to burn everything they may want except our negroes, the cotton is what they mostly want now and that we do not intend they shall have, if fire will prevent them.

I have heard from Grey to the 12th Inst then near Fredericksburg. Willie I have not heard from so recently I suppose he is at or near Gordonsville, our army are getting much nearer home and the Yankees nearer to us, this seems to be hard I hope it is for the best, but I am inclined to fear that it exposes our weakness.

I intend to go to the mountains soon and take some hand up to plant corn for the poor soldiers wives who are left to make all they will have to live one. I feel very sad on account of that class of people. They have turned out and have gone to the war, until in many places none are left but the old men and women and children, and they are very poor, have no negroes and et the slave holders are not disposed to or send their negroes, fearing they may lose them, but their children have gone and many will never return, but they will not trust a few negroes to go when there is no dangers and this has caused the most of our troubles. We have been looking after money instead of our liberties until the enemy are all round us in immense force.

I have given up everything for the cause have lost sight of making money, ever since the commencement of this war, but have been giving until I have nearly given all for the cause of our country and still I am disposed to contribute and will be until the last is taken and if this will secure me life liberty and equality I am paid with interest for the sacrifice such I find to be my own case but not so much with many among whom I live and for whom I have no respect and will not have any thing to do with them.

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Civil War letter written by Henry Stokes Figures

Today we feature a letter on PastVoices.com website. This is a Civil War letter written by Henry Stokes Figures on 9 May 1861 to his father

Henry S. Figures enlisted in the 48th Alabama on May 22, 1862. He was Adjutant of the 48th Alabama and was killed at the Wilderness Battle on May 6, 1864.

"My Dear Pa--

I received your letter and I received yours and Matties, Otey’s and Ma’s letters this morning dated the 5th--also your paper. I received my pay last Monday and would have sent it to you sooner, but was waiting for a letter. ..."

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Mobile Alabama 1866

Letter from Israel Putnam. Malone Books, Stationery, Fancy Goods, etc 52 Dauphin Street, Mobile Alabama. Dated Feb 19, 1866. It is a letter to G&C Merriam regarding their debt advising that they have been "pressed" and are only able to pay a portion of their balance and willingness to pay interest should they "say so". A post script advising they sold their house and lot in Eufaula and will send payment to settle off old claims once "the deed can be made out and the money paid".

Belle Kendrick Boyd to Fannie Kendrick, Alabama, 1898

E-mail: bjberrykeeper@yahoo.com

Baxter, Ala

Feb. 16th, 1898

Dear Brother and Sister.

I one time more suit myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that all are well in the land of the living. We are not well at all. Peyton has been down for a week with the lagrippe, he is better though. Today the balance of us is up. I hope this will go swift to you and find you all well and doing well. Fannie, there have been a heap of changes took place in the last twelve months.

Aunt Pollie Stanley died this winter. I don't remember what day. Uncle Will K. wife died. With Brights Disease . Peel Hornell died of Storm Fever. Corlishia's second man died 1 year a go and not a great while later married again to Mr. Sean Parson. Her first children is about grown old. 1 yrs West has lost her mind. She is living with cousin Will.

Well Fannie, you needed to know Pa's death. He did talk a heap through his sickness but was so shattered we could not understand which he did not call any of us to him but Mollie and she could not go to see him for she was sick. You may rest assured that he was prepared to go. And recived the best of attention while he was sick. Buried nice and by Ma's grave. Pa died at Uncle Hortens cirid. They got every thing he had. I don't know whether he had any money or not but every body said he had. Uncle Hort would not let me and Peyton see in his trunk at all. I know he had about 80 dollars worth of stuff. I went down there to get his things and have them sold but they would not let me have anything to do with them.

Well I will not dwell on this to long but if you was here I could tell you a heap that would open your eyes. I can't write like I could talk. I am ill. There on of his children that is close enough to know anything about it and it grinds me to the bottom to think that they have done like they have. Ran burial expenses and doktor bill was $13.00 and Uncle Hort charged him $9.00 for him being there sick and charged me $4.00 for 1 week so he managed as to get everything. Pa was well cared for while sick.

Well I will close for this time. I will write sooner next time. I have got the headache to day.

Belle Boyd

Notes: Belle Boyd is Julia Belle Kendrick Boyd. She is the daughter of Mary Ellen Stanley and Jonis Wesley Kendrick. Belle married William Peyton Boyd (William Peyton is the son of William Boyd and Elizabeth Hobbs). Uncle Horton mentioned in the letter is Horton Ferris Kendrick.

Fannie Kendrick Egger from Julia Kendrick Boyd, Alabama, 1897

E-mail: bjberrykeeper@yahoo.com

June 3, 1897
Baxter Alabama
Mrs. F. C. Egger
Edge, Ark

June 2nd , 1897 Baxter, Alabama
Mrs. F. C . Egger,

Dear beloved brother and sister. It is with a trembling hand I write you this letter to tell you pa's death wich occurred the 20th of May. He was taken sick on Thursday and died Fri. Next he was taken with the chills and paralisis had 2 doctors with him. He died at Uncle Horts. He rented sheds and Nicholas's wife the first of the year and wis living by his self when he got sick. I begged him not to go there but he would have his own way. He got so he would not do. I wanted him to he would not stay with us long at a time. I was with him all through his sickness and we all done all we could for him

I would have wrote to you sooner but we have all been sick with the chills. Aunt and Uncle Hort said they was going to write to you soon. We are all well now, but the baby he has got the flux. Baby was borned the 17 Jan. Named him Victor Wilmont. I don't think pa had anything but his horse and I guess that will go to pay his expenses.

Oh how I wish you was here. It seems like I need you worse than I ever did in life. Well I don't know how to write to you but if you was here I could tell you a heap. Have all had the chills so much till we are all amighty nigh dead. I wrote you a card but I don't know whether you will get it or not. Pa died mighty easy. He was like he just went to sleep. Never struggled at all.

Cara has 2 children Emeo Jan said she wanted to see you that wanting was all she could do. Jan there was no chance a see you she knowed likely live in Calidonia.

Well I will close. Aunt Polly is getting write purple. Aunt Beth Lance is rite purity. Cousin Sis sends us love to you all and said she often thought of you. Well I will close and I want to write Cornelia a letter.

Write soon, your sister, Belle Boyd.


Notes: Written by Julia Belle Kendrick Boyd to her sister and brother in law (Fannie Clara Kendrick and James Holland Egger, Jr.)