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Camp Chase Letters Delivered |
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Dear brother
It is with pleasure that I avale my self of the opertunity of droping you a few lines which will inform you that I am quite well at present hoping these few lines may find you and family in the enjoyment of the same like blessing. Dear brother it has bin some time cince I have had the chance of addressing by letter as I was taken prisoner at Fort doneldson after a tremendious fight our hole forces was surrendered by general G Piller where as we the officers of the of the different Redgments was sent to camp chase near Columbus ohio the privates sent to Indianoplas the capital of the state of Indiania.
And dear brother and family connections I can say in truth that altho I am a prisnor of ware I am faring fineley also the rest of our companey where Levi is. I get letters from him and the rest of the boys and tha are enjoying themselves very well in deede our bill fair. Corn meal flower bacon poark beef chopt hominy coffee sugar nice white washed roomes to live in 4 acres of land to range on. The federals also gives us clothing and shoes & socks good stoaves to cook on nothing to doo but cook eate sleepe read I am nealey through my testament the second time and wash our clothes bed clothing and washing untencials and material all furnished. Fine hospitals for our sick well furnished with bedding and victuals sutible for sick some 30 or 50 Southren doctors hoo are prisnors here medicens all furnished and in a word we are faring as well as I could wish were it not that I am deprived of hering from all my friends. But as we cannot be of any service to each other while the ware continues let us be contented with our lot let it be cast where it may so father mother brothers & sisters doo not give your selves any uneaseness on mine and Levies account for I asure you that we are dooing much better than if we were in the army. I hope it may not be very long till we will all be enabled to return home in a family capsity. Dear Green take good ceare of your self and the old foalks till return home I intend to take ceare of them my self. Give my love to every one of the children and father & mother go and read this letter to Jack and tell him god bless his sole. I want to see him verry bad indeede. My respects to aunt Beck Aunt Patsy Buchanon and all the neighbor girles and reserve a good portion of my love for your self. I now close by ascribing my self your affectionate Brother till death.
Charles A. Ray
Govener Todd pleas approve this and oblige mee your humble servent
C. A. Ray
Columbus Ohio Aprile the 20th 1862
Dear Father & Mother
It is with pleasure that I avale my self of the opertunity of writing you a few lines which will inform you that I am quite well at present. Brother Levi however in my last account was not to say well tho not much sick. He and all the company and all the companies of the redgment is all at Indianaplas the capital of Indiania. Some of the officers is here & some at Fort Warren. When we all arrived here we was almost worne out from exposeure at Fort Donaldson in the snowe where we had one of the bloodiest battles that ever had bin fought we lost 3 killed. John Walker William Province Williard Swinney. Several others wounded sliteley but thankful am I to say it pleased the allmity ruler for mee and Levi to pass through unharmed.
Dear Father Mother Brothers & Sisters do not suffer any trouble on our accounts for I assure you that we are well ceared for here plenty to eat and nothing to do but to cook and eat and read. I am nearly through the testament the second time cince I arrived here our bill of fare corn meal & flower chop Y homoney coffee tea sugar bacon freash beef well fed and nice white washed roomes stoaves to cook on its true I am a prisoner of ware but the northeren people say tha intend to treat us well and win us back and all live like brothers again. I am very well satisfide have fine hospital & plenty doctors. Doctor Rogers is in my mess doctor Saylor is with the redgiment the boys of our company write to us tha are enjoying themselves very well.
Dear parents I would like verry much to see you all but as holding prisnors of war is agreeable to the lawes and usages of all warfair let us be contented with our lot during this time of trouble let it be cast where it may hoping the time will come when we will once moore be enabled to meet in a familey capasity. Green god bless your sole, Mother kiss George for me. Hi Beckey Charlotta & Jane. Take good ceare of yourselves and wait on Mother well. My respects to the Buchanon gurks & Heath family. Also the Harris girls mite write. Also Aunt Beck the old lady Buchanon write to me. Write Thomas & tell him I am doing well. I last saw him at Clarksville Tennessee in charge of our baggage. My trunk was sent from bowling green to Clarksville. I hope it may be continued home. I wrote a letter to Jack. I doo not noe whither he will get it or not go and see him and tell him I want to see him now worse than I ever did. So as my letter is rather long I must close. I remain your affectionate son till god shall call mee home.
Charles A Ray
To his father & mother
Tishimingo County Miss
Mr Federal Officer please send this across the lines and oblige your & c C.A. Ray
Charles A. Ray (First_Last)
Regiment Name 26 Mississippi Infantry
Side Confederate
Company G
Soldier's Rank_In Corporal
Soldier's Rank_Out 1 Lieutenant
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M232 roll 33
Camp Chaise Apr the 22 / 62
Dear & Beloved wife I a gain make the effort to let you hear from me as I know I have no chance to hear from you. This leaves me in bad helth tho I hope not dangeres but I have ben sick so long I can tell I have never sean a well day scence I left ft Donilson tho I hope that these will find you in the best of helth & injoying yur self the best you can & try to wind up my business & take care of what I left with you for you may have to vote for your self for I cant give any asshourence when I will see you if ever but don’t give your self any truble about me but try & look out & take care of your self. Capt Jackson is hear & very well. Looks better that you ever saw him. Brooks & Thomas Beckham is hear & both sick. Beckham has been very sick all the time & so has Brooks for three weeks. They ar of at the horse pittle. They was said to be mending the last I heard from them tho I learn that they ar well cared for. Floyd Brooks is dead all the company is at Chicargo ill we only had one man kild in the battle & men wounded. J J Henderson from Possom Trot was kild the 15th of Feb he fell rite by side. I have heard that Whitsworth who deserted & left ous has got home & told that we was all kild but that is not so. Capt Meddor of Dadeville & his Leut is hear & so is Gus Woods sun from Milltown. We all injoy our selfes the best we can. We have good cabbens to stay in but rather too much crowded as the wether gets worme. We have plenty to eat bacon pickled porke beef meal flowr coffee sugar & Irish potatoes & cook for our selves but that is not the point with me for I cant eat what we have tho we have a sutler hear that sells to ous any thing we wish to eat at moderate charge any thing but whiskey or liqures so those that have money live very well & can do it oun a very little by being saving. Tell Galloway to tend to my papers just like they was his own & if my horse was sold & you want one get him to by for you. I think it will be best for you to stary at Fathers this year any how tell you can get my business wound up tho I want you to stay wher you ar the best satisfied. I must close but I still remane your most affectionat & devoted husband forever. J Q Durham
On envelope:
From Leint J Q Durham Prisoner of war
Camp Chais Ohio (50 # Ten ___)
Mrs Anna J Durham
West Point Ga
Camp Chais Ohio April 22/62
Dear Father & Mother I drop you a few lines which leaves me quite feble tho I am able to be up & stir about a little. I am baring my trubles the best I can. I never give it up. I live in hopes if I dy in disspare our far is good enough for a well man to get fat oun but the warter don’t agree with me which ceeps me puld doun. I these will find you all well & doing well. I hipe that Peggey has got safe back to your hous & if so give her the best advice you can & assiste her in winding up my business. I want my places sold at new site if they will bring a far price if not let them stand tell you hear from me a gain. I have some notes with me & I send you a list of them least I should never get back & also the Confederate States is dew me from the first Dec 1861. I need my last pay from pay master W T Masengile Nash ville Ten. I will put the notes oun the other side so you can give a list of them to W T Galloway as they all live over ther & per haps he can colect some of it before I get back this letter will be cared to Rechmon Va by Mrs Clark who has ben tending to sick prisoners hear & mailed to you from ther nothing more at present but ever remains your most affectionate sun tell death. J. Q. Durham
P.S. Give my love & respects to relatives & friends.
NB if this cant pas please send it back to ____ no 30. J. Q. Durham
(On the other side of letter)
W F Mathews 1 note dew Aug 30th 1861 $2618
Or by A J Brock $1950 dew oun Afet $1575
T J Jackson 2 notes 25 Dec 1861 $948
On afet for watch 10.00
W. J. Gallaway 1 note dew 25 Dec 1861 $1866
J J Carter 1 note dew 25 Dec 1861 $250
G W Smith sun of T G Smith $540
Joell L Phillips 1 not dew Sept 6 1861 $355
E T Clower 1 note dew 25 Dec 1861 $11.50
C A Yarbrough 1 note dew 26 No 1861 $37.50
Secured by William Candlor & William Spotes
Joseph Irvin 1 note dew Aug 9 1861 $2625
William Irvin ofet Dec 9 1861 $19.30
With er $5.00
J T Cook 1 not dew 25 Dec 1861 $2660
Father you will please hand the above to W. T. Gallaway & take his ___ for the same & his ___ shall be gave to the barer against ther notes which I hold. J. Q. Durham
On envelope:
To: Mr Isaiah Durham Milltown Ala
From Leint J. Q. Durham Prisner of war Camp Chais Ohio (50# Ten ___)
Camp Chais Ohio April 22 1862
Mr J. C. Durham Dear Cosen I drop you a few lins which I don’t know whether will reach you or not this leaves me in feable helth tho I am not confind to bed but my helth is bad. I wright to my wife today & direct to West Point & if she is not ther I hope you will fowd it to her. I am in prison four miles west of Columbus Ohio. My Capt & 1st Lint is hear the bal of the comp is at Chicargo Il. I cant tell you when I will se you tho I hop I will some time. I cant wright much our far is very good better than I expected tho we think it hard but we hold up our heads and hope for better days, J Q Durham
On envelope:
From Leut J. Q. Durham prisoner of war
Camp Chais Ohio (50# Ten ___)
Mr J. C. Durham
West Point Ga
J.Q. Durham (First_Last)
Regiment Name 50 Tennessee Infantry.
Side Confederate
Company C
Soldier's Rank_In 2 Lieutenant
Soldier's Rank_Out 2 Lieutenant
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M231 roll 13
Camp Chase Prison Ohio
April the 21st 1862
Dear Mother I this evening take the present opportunity of dropping you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time and hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same. Blessings when they come to hand bear another. I want you to write to father to try to do something to alleviate me from this imprisonment if he can probably he can effect a chang. We are hear in the midest of diseases of a very frightfull kind such as smallpox Etch & c. Mother I want you to give Martha all the encouragement you can and that I am doing fine and for her to have her farm cared on the the best advantage she can. Tell uncle Jordan that Jerz is well an at least was a few days agoe. He is at Chicago the officers was separated from the privates so I must close fro the present hopping by the blessings of and all wise providence to meet you again on this side of the grave and under better sircumstances that at present. So I must close for the present by assigning myself your loving son until death.
D. R. Fletcher
I have written four or five letters and hope you have gotten them.
P S Rite to me soon. Send your letter to D R Fletcher a prisoner of war
Camp Chase Ohio
None of our company has died as yet.
Camp Chase Prison Ohio
April the 21st of 1862
Dear beloved wife it is by the blessings of god that I am permited to drop a few lines to let you know that I am in reasonable health at this time hoping those few lines may find you enjoying the same like blessings when they come to hand. Wife I have knothing of interest to rite you but many things to tell you if we ever meet again which I hope may be the case and under better sircumstances than the present. Wif I can say that I was sadly disappointed in my treatment. It has been fair better than I expected our fare is very good and there is but one thing that I fear and that is diseases. We have some cases of smallpox in prison at this time tho I hope that I may escape it. Wife I hope we may be permited to spend some happy days together soon tho I cannot tell at this time. Wife if you ever see me you will find me the very same old seven and six so I must come to a close for the present by assigning myself your loving husband until death.
D. R. Fletcher
D.R. Fletcher (First_Last) David Riley
Regiment Name 42 Tennessee Infantry.
Side Confederate
Company 1 H
Soldier's Rank_In Bvt 2Lieut
Soldier's Rank_Out 3Lieutenant
Camp Chase Ohio
April 20th, ‘62
Dear Father
It is entirely unnecessary to state to you my late condition at the present. I am a prisoner of war & I am content with my fate. I am well this blessed Sabath morning. Hoping these few lines may find you all the same. Father we was surrendered on the 8 of April at Madrid Bend. As I deem it unnecessary to go into discussion of our surrender I propose writing very short. Suffice it to say that it was an unconditional surrender. I hated the thoughts of livings confined in prison but not withstanding I will endeavor to reconcile myself to it the best I can & I wish you & Mother to do the same. I can say to you that I have any idea when I shall be able to get away from hear. This is the only opportunity that I have had to write & probly will be the last. But look at all this as being agreeable to the will of him who created all things. So you need not write to me for I cannot get it from where you are. So you neednt to render yourselves uneasy about me for there is a day in the which I shall return to you all do not think the time long. Nor look to soon for when you see me a coming then you can say see me a coming until then I am your obedient son. John D. Hudson
To Noah Hudson
& Elizabeth Hudson
*************
The opportunity now that I have to write is a lady going from hear to Richmond Virginia & offers me this opportunity.
All the boys was taken expept 5 who made their escape in the nught before. I hope I shall see you all before next September.
Tell brother Lemuel Byrd to remember me in my late fate. Also to notify the church of my condition.
We are treated very kind by our keepers.
Give my best respects to old Curtis & family. Tell him that I am in good heart yet.
John D. Hudson
Envelope address as:
To Noah Hudson
Westville Dale County Ala
Pvt. John D. Hudson
Co. A., 27th Alabama
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