Head Quarters, McNair Brigade
Polland, Ala March 21st 1864
Special Order Number 9
Captain A. W. Bell Co B 39th N.C.T. is hereby arrested on charges of neglect of duty in the discharge of the duties assigned to him by Brig. Gen. Pillow in Western N. C. and for overstaying his time.
Charges have this day been preferred: Capt. Bell will deliver his sword to the adjutant and will be assigned the limits of the Regiment.
By Command of Col. Coleman
Commanding Brigade
Henry Walrup Capt. & Q A Gen.
Camp Lee near Polland, Ala
March 31st 1864
My Dear Wife,
I seat myself to write you a few lines as it has been 2 weeks since I wrote & I thought that the Co would all be furloughed by this time, but the authorities have saw fit to stop furloughing so many at a time, 4 & a commissioned officer is all they will let go at a time out of one Co. I reckon 4 of my Co will start in a few days & Lt. Anderson about the 20th of April. Lt. West next & me last which will be August or September. I could resign & go but the boys don’t want me to leave the Co & I would hate to be conscripted & we have all petitioned Gov. Vance to have our Regt ordered to Western NC & I hope it will be done. Col. Coleman arrested me a few days ago for neglecting of my duty assigned me in Western NC & absent without leave all for spite so I care but little for it as he Col. Coleman has been under an arrest for the last week for drunkenness & was court martialed yesterday but we have not recd what they have done for him yet. My rheumatism is better now than it has been for the last year & I have been in better health the last few days. I have had a bowel complaint pretty bad but I think all will be right soon. The health of the Co is very good all up except John Griggs he is pretty bad off with pneumonia I hope he will soon get well. Send word to Young’s folks that Bud has just arrived in camps from Atlanta prison, looks tolerable well & I received a letter from Joe a few days ago. He was well but Sam was ordered to Richmond to go on light duty, he did not say anything about Mike. I recd one from Beng he told me that De & him had swapped off Eve for a man & woman and gave eight hundred to boot. So I suppose you will have negroes enough to make corn this year. He did not tell me who they swapped with, but I guess it was with Killpatrick. Well if they will suit you I am glad that they traded I will try & pay the money. I have not recd any letter form you since Capt. Crawford came we look for Jes Bird tonight I expect letters by him. I am in hopes something will turn up & we will all get home soon. We recd orders to dispose of all our heavy baggage this morning & there is many prophecies in camp. Some think we will go to Atlanta some to Va. some to NC & some back to Mississippi, but we may not go anywhere soon or we may go in a few days I cannot tell. I will close as I have given you all the news. I will write by the boys if they get off in a few days again, as for giving any advice about home matters I expect you are a better farmer than I am so I won’t dictate, do as you think best & suit yourself & I shall be satisfied, give Sallie Baley my best respects my love to Pa, Sallie & the (?) all our relations & kiss my sweet little babes for me. Write me often & give me all the news of importance and minor importance & believing me ever a true & devoted husband I dream of you farming pleasantly. Ever your loving husband, please excuse this mess I will do better next time. A.W. Bell
Polland, Alabama
April 8th 1864
My Dear Catey,
I seat myself again to write you a few lines as Parker Moore starts for home this evening & a good chance to send it to you. I recd your letters by Mr. Cabe & the one you sent by Will Plemons. I was very glad to hear from you the one by Plemons came yesterday & the one by Cabe a few days ago. I have just returned from Mobile, Col. Coleman pressed charges against me & I had to attend a Court Martial which investigation too 2 days. They tried to prove that I built a house at home & practiced dentistry & Crawford Smith & several of my boys was witness against me. Lt. Anderson for me, they failed to prove anything & I proved all that was necessary by their own witness. I don’t know how they will decide the case but I don’t think it a very dangerous case. It all was caused by my being the Sen. Capt. & the office of Maj. to fill & others more desirous of promotion than I. My good lady friends at home have been writing their husbands that I was at home building houses & making jewelry. I want nothing to do with such women. Some of them are very ungrateful. They ought to remember my father hauled wood for her when her own father would not do it & my wife loaned her money when she needed it, such ungrateful women I have no use for. She wrote her husband that I had went to Walhalla & bought bras buttons & was making jewelry out of it & selling & speculating & her husband run to the Col. & told him the same, she is damned with me. This ladies mother told lies on me while at home. If all reports be true about having some of her relations conscripted.
I will know the decision in a few days. Furloughing is nearly stopped in the department. Lt. Anderson has one & John Bates one from my Co. Bates starts this evening but Lt. Anderson will not go for a week or 10 days yet. He is waiting to draw money & to get some cloth that we sent to Raleigh for which will suit us all very well as I want to send mine home by him. I will try & get him to buy a 100 lbs of rice as he goes on home in Columbia & ship it to Walhalla. I am very glad that you are getting along so well. I think you are a better farmer than I am, I think you did right in letting Liza go home, but don’t let them buy the notes with confederate money. I am glad you have got some negroes that you like so well. I hope they may prove to be the negroes you think them to be. I wish I could be there to assist them. I can resign & go home but I hate the idea of being conscripted I suppose I could join Thomases Legion & get to stay at home nearly all the time. We have petitioned Gov. Vance to get us to Western NC to defend our homes which I hope will succeed. I am very anxious to get to go home & stay but I cannot ask for a furlough yet until Anderson & West goes home unless my health was to get bad again it is pretty good now & all the Co except John Griggs he has been very bad but is improving now & I think will get well. I have nothing strange to write as for war news we have none all quite in the department & I hear of nothing only (?) & Richardson are going it on a high hand.
As for corn you must do the best you can for your self & nigers get Franks to buy for you & get along the best you can. You had better get Jas. Robison to write to Charleston & Anderson about your negroes clothing & tools & there is an old workbench in the Cline shop that Lyle said I could have as soon as he got through with it, you can get it if your cooper needs it. I think you can make enough to do you this year & let alone & its seasonable as for Tobes, Jas. Franks got her from Mr. Love. If I would go & try & get Johnson & others back to Macon, he was to work a month no price agreed on but 20 dollars is all that I would pay. I hired Sud by the day at 1.00 dollar. If he will get an order from Mr. Love for the pay you may pay him at the rate of 20 per month as for thread you have none to let him have. Send Banks word that I will give him fits when I come, if he don’t pay you what he owes. I hope we now can get along without having any thing to do with Loves negroes. I do crave to be independent & unbeholding to anybody & If this war would only close I think we are nearly in that condition & I don’t think this war can last longer than this year our prospects are more flattering than they have been our men are better soldiers better clothed & better health than ever before & our rations is more, we get ½ lb hog meat, 1 ½ lbs meal, peas, rice & salt & occasionally flour & beef. This is one third more than we have been getting & the officers get one ration given then have the privilege of buying one. This don’t look like we are starved out or whipped we have more men now in the field than ever before at one time.
I have numbered this letter 7, but I think I have written more than that. I think I have written nearly once every week. We are having a great deal of rain but we have pretty good tents & all have cots to sleep on & grass and fine leaves. I think that Leon ought to have some of our leather out if he has not he ought to let you have a (?) of leather for your cook. I will try & buy a few pair and send to you for your cook & darkies by some of the boys don’t depend on this as it was uncertain about it. I sent to Raleigh for cloth for a suit of uniform & overcoat, 1 hat, pair boots, 2 over shirts & 2 blankets, I don’t need any of those things bad but I can sell them for triple if I get them.
I believe I have written all I now think of. I will write by Lt. Anderson. I shall then write you about my trial. I will write to Beng soon. I am sorry to hear that Anns health is so bad, Beng wrote me that Auter had been caught stealing Pa’s meat, he ought to be hung for stealing from Pa knowing Pa’s sacristy. You must do the best you can until harvest. I then hope you won’t be dependent on anybody for a bushel of corn or wheat & I shall always remember some people. Is McCoy & Ingraham conscripted? I learn Dobson has resigned. Where is Bob Henry? Write often give me all the news. Tell Sallie Baley howdy, tell her to take good care of my fat wife & children. I think we will have a soldier at our house this time. My love to all the relations, kiss my children often for me & believe me ever a devoted & loving husband. I remain your Alfa
Polland, Ala April 10th 1864
My Dear Caty,
As one of my boys starts home this evening (A. Low) I thought probably you would also look for a note by him, although I wrote 2 days ago by Parker Moore. I have nothing at all to write you at this time. I have just heard a good sermon from quite an able preacher. Mr. Alen Ammons our chaplin asked him to preach for us last nigh & today this Sunday. We have preaching every Sunday if it is a day fit & prayer meeting every night or too. There is some dissatisfaction with some of our officers about remaining in this brigade & a petition has been gathered up to have our Regt put in to some other Brigade I don’t know whether is will be accomplished or not. I believe I wrote you that we had petitioned Gov. Vance to have us moved to Western NC which I hope he will accomplish. I learn that Jackson Co has sent the Rev. Wm. Hicks with a strong petition to Gov. Vance & the war department to have our Regt sent to Western NC. I hope the combined petitions will accomplish the desired affect. There is no change in the health of my Co since I last wrote you & no war news all quite in this dept. I have heard nothing from my trial yet. As for your farming operations I have nothing to say nor advice to give, besides if I had Caty take no advice but act for herself & on her won judgement, but if I had anything to say it would be to plant all the corn & potatoes that your nigers could cultivate as I think if nothing happens your family will increase by the time your crop is made. I hope I shall be one of the increase.
I don’t think of anything else to write. The negroes lied to me as I passed through Montgomery that Bety & Alfed had moved to (?) so I did not get to see them, but as Dick & Mark Bryson came back they saw them & eat 2 or 3 meals with them in Montgonomery. They have hired their time, they pay 24 dollars per month & are making about 12 dollars per day washing, cooking for the soldiers, Bety sent me word to be sure & stop to see them as I passed through & she would go home with me if I passed through. I certainly will stop & see them I would be very glad to see them. The boys are fixing to start so I must close. I will write often probably not until Lt. Anderson starts which will be a week or 10 days yet. John Reed also has a furlough & will hardly start until Lt. Anderson starts. They will wait for our Qr. Master gets back from Raleigh as we all sent for clothing by him also for the new issue. I close my love to Pa & relations kiss my cubs often for me, tell Sallie Baley to take good care of my fat women & not let them eat too much. I close ever believe me a devoted husband until death. Your Alfa
Camp 3 miles west of Atlanta Ga.
May 22 1864
My Dear Caty,
Yours of 8 & 13 inst by Mr. Stiles came safe to hand a few days ago, found me still at this place. I was so glad that you was getting along so well & had got some corn. I am not certain if you are not a better farmer than my self, so I am proud of my wife & her qualifications. As for Mr. Jennings he probably will behave himself as his family is still in Macon. Its best for him to do so because his misdemeanor will not only involve himself but many of his relations who have been trying to clear him. The time is not far before all such men will meet justice. I have not got the letter you sent by Parker Moore. I suppose that told what was the matter with your foot. So I don’t know whether its hurt or the cause of its disease but I hope it will soon be well. This Sunday morning all is lonely here. I would I was with you today but it cannot be so now I hope for the better soon. There is no news this morning one of our Regt has just came from the fort reports all quite yesterday no fighting. Our army has fell back south of Etiwah River near Altoona & was resting yesterday. Some of the Yanks had crossed over report say that Johnston is ordered to not fight for 4 or 5 days untill reinforcements arrive. It also reported that reinforcements will go up today. I think some of the people are getting a little uneasy here as I noticed in town yesterday some was moving. I don’t think they will get here unless they whip Johnson which I doubt though they have much the largest army.
I wrote you in my last of the wounded, Scrogs of Crawfords Co I learn was very slightly wounded. Mr. Rhodes & Mason of my Co have been sent off I suppose to Augusta. Masons wound had got much better will be well soon. Mr. Rhodes was doing well but will require sometime to get well. I have heard nothing from my trial yet & don’t care about hearing until after this fight is over then I think I will resign or try & let Coleman harass somebody else. I have nothing to write but I thought by writing today you would get it by Saturdays mail and know you will expect a letter then. I am looking for Sergt Tippit any day. I think I may get a letter from you by him. I have written you 2 letters since I have been here. I think you done right in taking in one of my other wifes children, so Fannie can go to school & they will be so much company for each other. I am sorry you cannot get shoes for Patsy. If I had a chance I could send her a pair. I think that some of our leather at Silers ought to be ready by this time. I don’t know how to advise you to do for the best I hope and will be right soon. I have drawn no money yet I don’t want to until I can send it home as I have but little use for it. You had better spread my clothes out in a feather bed, for fear of a raid. You had better take all those shirts for your intended boy babys clothing. I have plenty of clothing so don’t trouble your self a bout me. Take care of our babys & home an look out for Alfa. I’ll close as I’ve nothing else to write, direct as before only to this place in charge of baggage, kiss my babys often for me, my love to all believe me ever your devoted husband. Alfa
I will write you again soon. I dream of you nearly every night so I think I will come soon & enjoy some of the realities of my dreams, God grant it.
Camp at the Wagon Train 6 miles NE of Atlanta, Ga. June 18th 1864
My Dear Girl,
I rise this morning & seize my pen to inform you how much better I feel than I did 24 hours ago. Your very welcome letter of the 5 inst reached me yesterday evening. I assure you it was a refreshing draft & has had a good affect on me ever since. Before my whole studys was gloomy & my dreams was not pleasant but now are to the contrary. I had pleasant dreams all night of home & loved ones. My arms was frequently around you & to tell the truth this is pleasant next to realities. O how I would love to be with my own dear girl & babes, but such is war, we must submit & hope for the better in future. This is the first letter that I have recd since the one that Stiles brought. Mr. Ammons took his to the fort & mailed it so it has not come yet & I doubt whether I get it at all. I am so glad you are getting along so well. I hope that you may get through the season without much privation though you said nothing about your supplies or provisions but the shoe supplies seems to fret you some. I do hope that the satchel that I sent by Alex Baldwin has got home safe before now & its contents. So you will probably be supplied with shoes for your darkies & Alex told me to say to you that he would do any work for you in the shoe line that you may need. He said he had some sole leather so you will get him to make your shoes. He owes me for a hat which cannot be bought for less than 50 dollars. I was offered that for it in Mobile, but did not want to sell but Alex lost his from the cars & he like myself had no money to buy another, so I let him have mine as he is a good friend to me & seemed very thankful. I told him how desperate it was for you to get shoes or leather. He told me to be sure & write you that he had sole leather & would do your work so I now rest better satisfied on that until I hear further. As to the Edmonson debts he paid nothing only on the note. I sent the account by Pa & recpt it expecting him to pay it but he did not so you will draw that off with the other acts. He owes a store act for a cloth coat & I think something else which you will find on the Co Books. You can draw all the items off together as if Mrs. Edmonson pays it recpt for the same look over the dental books & see if he paid Dee his dental act.
Sergt. Bristol QM Sergt got back from the Regt yesterday evening & brought your letter which I suppose Bird brought as Pa wrote a note in it & said that Reid would start the next day. Our boys are generally well & anxious for the fight. My Co Lt. West writes me Numbers 47 men, holds up very well as we have had about 2 weeks very wet bad weather though it cleared off 3 days ago & the Yanks cannonaded our boys furiously. I could hear it all, it was very heavy about as fast as I could count, no damage done us that day though Thursday before they killed Gen. Polk all are sorry & regret his loss. N Carolinians was his favorites another great & good man has fallen. You will ere this reaches you see his death & the particulars in the papers. There is no news from the front both armies are close & facing each other & are fortified skirmishing & cannonading daily. Sergt Bristole thinks the Yanks are moving to our left again a flank movement back towards Dallas & New Hope. They will remember what they got there before & will be very cautious. Gen. Forrest has achieved another great victory in Miss. he routed an army of ten thousand killed Captured & wounded half & captured all their artillery 20 pieces & 250 wagons & teams loaded with commisarys & a large number of small arms & ammunition. His forces was four thousand men. No news from Va. last act are they are still moving everyday & skirmishing. I was very glad to hear that our boys went through unhurt all but Lee Allman, so Pa wrote. They are having hard & hot times as well as our army. It commenced to rain again last night & it has rained almost without ceasing ever since. It is a desperate time on the boys without tents. I wish the civilized would interfere & stop this bloody wicked war. I have not heard anything from my trial. I am escaping a hard time, I have no objection for it to continue for the present. I reckon Mrs. Reid begins to feel that she has acted badly, let it pass for the present. She either wrote it or John has lied as he told the Col. that he had got a letter from home & that I had went to Walhalla & bought brass buttons & was making jewelry & speculating & I guess his wife wrote it, I don’t know who else did. I don’t care he has not made much & is not Capt. yet as that was his sole object to get me out of the way, Crawford would be Maj. & he Capt., let it pass for the present. If she comes to see you about it tell her all about it & if she denies it the lie is between her & her husband (this was all, there is evidently a page missing)
Camp at Wagon or train June 24th 1864
My Dear Wife,
I again seat myself this Friday morn to write you. On Saturday last the Yanks advanced on our Brigade & killed several & wounded a good many, but was driven back. I have not had all the particulars but as far as I know is that Lt. West of my Co mortally wounded, the ball entering his right cheek & passing into his brain, was not dead Sunday, but I fear ere this he is. The doctors thought there was no chance. Henson of my Co was wounded in thigh, this is all of my Co that I have heard of. Capt. Crawford was slightly wounded in the wrist or arm also Wilson in face of Crawfords Co. Tom Tatham severely in face. Those are all that I know of that you are aquainted with. Joe Mason has got well & gone back to the Co. I have not heard from Mr. Rhodes since he left Atlanta or Bud Young since he was wounded. I only saw it stated in the papers that he was wounded. Henly Moore was sent to the hospital sick & died in hospital in Madison. I think our army fell back to the Kennesaw Mountains a mile or two this side of where they was when I wrote my last & as all the negros in Atlanta has been passed & sent up to Chatahooche River to fortify, I think that our army will fall back to that place, that is 92 miles from Atlanta, there I think will be the decisive battle will be fought. I have not recd any of your letters only the one by Stiles & Reid brought the mail all go to the fort & the boys say they get but very few letters there is bad management some where. The weather is better now sun yesterday & today & I hope the rain will stop for the present. The papers speaks of heavy fighting in Va. & Grant is now trying Petersburg. I fear that they will yet take Richmond by starvation. If we loose Richmond & Atlanta it will hurt our cause very much, though I hope for a different result. If we are successful the thing is about done & the confederacy established on our side it looks bright for the other it is gloomy so we trust to the God of battles for victory & success as the race is not to the swift nor the victory to the strong. Our army has been blessed so far the spring & summer with successes & victory that I think the Yanks ought to be satisfied that they are wrong & the God of battle is with us.
I have written you so often & have not had anything hardly to write that I am out of soap & don’t know what to write that would be of any interest, so you will excuse my uninteresting letters. I will wait until evening to finish & see if I can see how or think of anything else to write. (evening) I have just learned that our right had a pretty heavy fight yesterday, I expect the loss was heavy. We lost one General Petters of Ala, we took 6 or 8 hundred prisoners. I should not be surprised if there is heavy fighting at the fort form now on, none of our regt was not engaged yesterday. Browns Ga (?) was engaged & fought very well from the number of wounded that is coming down. We move our camp tomorrow nearer to Atlanta about 3 miles this side & I learned that Bill Fulcher passed up going to my Co he said he saw Pa last Thursday week & you all was well so that is good news for me. If I cannot get letters from you. I have learned Lt. West is dead. Its very warm this evening & I think we will have more rain soon. I have just been writing John Moore so I can write to any of my friends though I have but little hopes of getting answered soon from any of them soon as I think our letters are destroyed by the post master. I have heard nothing form my trial yet so my Co is without one of its commissioned officers at present it looks bad some of us ought to be with it, I may be ordered up soon. I don’t know anything about who is command the Co I rather guess one of the Jackson Officers as they are all present & my boys think a great deal of them. I will close for the present still continue to write me once a week direct as usual, Ectors Brig Frenches Div & Lorings Corps Army of Ten & maybe Ill get them some time. Fulcher says Lt. Anderson is still sick, I am sorry to hear it. I was in hopes that the female treatment & warm applications would relieve his chills & loose his skin & limber him easy. I close kiss my babies for me & give my love to all relations & friends & believe me ever your devoted true and affectionate husband. I remain your……Alfa
25th We move our camp this morning, nearer Atlanta, 3 miles this side. It is reported that our army was to fall back to the Chattahoochee River last night.