Camp near Cedartown Polk Co.,Ga
Oct 9th 1864
My Dear Wife,
I write you a hasty note this Sunday morning, we have been marching &fighting ever since I last wrote you. We went to Shermans rear & struck the station R Road at Big Shorty, captured about 40 prisoners & destroyed the Road for several miles captured Moon Station & 40 or 50 prisoners & Acworth & 80 or 100 prisoners & next day attacked Altoona & had a desperate fight none engaged but our division at least 2000 or 25 hundred & the Yanks had about the same number. We drove them out of 2 lines of breastworks & run them into their forts & we learned that Sherman was coming in our rear for Atlanta with a heavy force & we drew off with a loss of 8 or 9 hundred & left all our dead & many of the wounded in the enemys hands. We then attacked their blockhouse at Altoona creek took it with about 100 prisoners & burned the bridge, we have badly damaged the R Road form Big Shorty to Altoona our regt was left to (?) the battreys & part of the regt drove in the Yankee pickets on the left. E. Kimsey of my Co was slightly wounded in the right shoulder & one other man of the regt slight in head is the causalities of our regt. We got to this place last night its some 18 miles west of Rome. We now have orders to march at 12 o’clock to undergo a march of 12 or 15 days, we suppose Ten. is our destination. I have stood the march bad, I am broke down & nearly barefooted I think our (?) army is here. I expect a grand raid is on hands. I have heard nothing from home since I wrote you last. I am very anxious to hear from home I failed to be relieved at present. Gen. Stewart says as soon as the compaign is over that all the officers that have resigned shall be relieved & Capt. Henderson who is raising the Co says he will furlough us for 60 days, I long for the time to come. We have many reports about them even evacuating Rome & other places but nothing reliable. We also hear of Forrest & Wheeler doing big things also heavy fighting in Va. but we see no papers & of course have nothing reliable. I am writing on my knee & an am very nervous so you must excuse this I have but a few minutes to write in, you will continue to write me, direct to Westpoint. I will close for this time, I will write every chance my love to all kiss my babies often for me. I am very anxious to see our baby hope I will soon. The health of the Co is very good at present that is all that is with us, I know nothing about those that was sent to the hospital. I must close take good care of yourself & my babies & do the best you can. I think I will soon be with you, I remain ever your own true devoted boy
Alfa
PS I have no stamps & have to endorse it I am very poor not able to pay wifes postage bad off aint I
Jacksonville, Ala
Oct 22nd 1864
My Dear Wife,
Your very informing letters of Sept 23rd & 30th came to hand the 19th inst found me at this place. I wrote you from Cedartown, Ga., on our march. I was barefoot & had rheumatism. I was sent on here with about a thousand other barefoots. We arrived here on the 19th inst & rather than go to a hospital I asked to be put on post duty, which was given me. I am Capt. of prov guard of this place. I have 55 men 8 of my own Co Jovan Jones, J. R. Vanhook, Elishua Kimsey, Sgt. McCall & Polk Rusell & others all have been wounded or not able for field service. Our army went on & struck the R Road near Risaca captured Letton, Dalton, Tunnell Hill & some 12 hundred prisoners, 7 hundred negroes & 5 hundred white soldiers. The white soldiers passed through here yesterday & the negroes are near here now. Our army fell back to Gadsden some 23 miles north of this place & I learned started this morning for quarters landing on the Tenn. River bound for middle Tenn. all the companys Qr roster stores have been sent forward from this place. We had a big stir here this morning report said a raid was on its way here, but I believe it has subsided this evening. I rather think me & my guard will go to Blue Mountains 10 miles west of here at the head of the R Road. I heard from our regt a day or two ago all well nobody hurt yet. Am pretty bad off with rheumatism cant straighten my old back of mornings but will tuff it out until the army stops & the campaign is over & then I shall quit this service. I cannot walk & be a soldier they must except my resignation & let me go to cavalry or keep me on post duty. I have no idea that I could have kept up with the command to Dalton as they march force marches all the time. I stuck them as long as I could but had to succumb. They have had no fighting to do since at Altoona which I wrote you about from Ceadertown. We have many reports such as the capture of Atlanta & Rome but none are reliable, though I hope are true, so I cannot give you anything reliable as I should like to do. The cavalry bring in a few Yanks & negroes everyday, I hope they may succeed in capturing or running Sherman out of Ga. & Tenn. soon.
As the sun is down I will stop for tonight. Its very cold we are having cold clear weather a mild time for the army to move. I hope you get your fodder saved & molasses made & will not fret yourself so about starving. I think that time has passed for such crops of corn as never saw as on our march here & the further the better. I hope you will raise corn enough to do you. I think I can buy hogs for our meat, Bill Corbin says he can let me have as many as I may need at old prices & said he would write his wife & I know I could git some from young Derick Norton who lives near Pickens Nose the same way, if I could get to see him or send some one to see him, so have patience & don’t be alarmed. I think you have passed through a deal of starvation, I think I will be at home in a few weeks & I hope to be able to supply my wife an babes with a plenty to keep sole & body together, as for naming your girl, I have given them all my favorite names, Mary & Sallie. I think Matt & you can study up something again that nobody else would think of & give it to your babe. Minnie means small & Miranna a drop so you have little for a name now cant you have a big in the family, say grand, lymphatic or gorda, all mean large or great, then we will have both extremes, if it had been one of my own sex I could have named it for you, but to the contrary you must ask some one else for help. I will stop as it is dark & I have no candles, pleasant dreams, God bless you & my babes. 23rd well have nothing to write you that would be of interest. I would fill up my paper (?) walking from the army in the (?) all is quite here today though the officials are moving (cant read rest of sentence) to broken to complete this page.)
Well I have two pairs of shoes that I wish you had for your negroes Tim & Patsey. I shall try & keep them & bring them to you soon. I am hoggish after being barefoot so long I was not satisfied with one but took 3 pairs hoping to go home soon & knowing that your darkies would need them this winter, I thought it best to take them & shall try very hard to take them home soon. John Reid has gone to Raleigh after clothing shoes & blankets for our regt, & will be back in a week or so, he may go on come by home I hope he may & bring me a letter from my lady love & babies. I rec’d your letter on the 19th which was the day 3 years ago that Capt. Bells Co was recognized by the state of NC. I have written you more than I thought & have to write as I wrote you from Cedartown telling you the news up to then I will write soon again, direct to Montgomery, Ala as the (?) I think eventually to Corinth or Shilo my love to all kiss my babes often for me & believe me ever your dear own ….Alfa
Selma, Ala Oct 28th 1864
My Dear Wife,
I again seat myself to write you a few lines t let you know my where abouts. I wrote you a few days ago from Jacksonville. I then said I thought we would leave there in a few days so we did, we went to Blue Mountain then to Cross Bridge & then to this place, have been here for three days an now under orders to go to Corinth & will leave in the morning. It is said we will go to Palaska, Ten. I don’t know when but one thing certain we cannot go much longer as winter is beginning to make its appearance & this country is too wet and muddy for much winter campaign & (can’t read this line, too faded) I will try to get off I think my prospects are well. I am not uneasy about the army once stopped. I think a few weeks longer & Gen. Mud will give the word halt & all will stop until Gen. Spring arrives, God grant how soon. I am in very good health my rheumatism does not hurt me as bad as it did when I wrote you from Jacksonville, though I could not make a much of a march. Wash Southerd joined us a few days ago form home. He did not bring me a letter he did not know where you lived, though he says all is right in Macon. He heard nothing strange (?) (?) been for a year as I could get to stay in this (?) (?), while I think I would get as fat as I did the first year after I got to sleeping with you & you recollect I weighed 165 lbs the most I ever weighed as far as I (?) the south is concerned that is all a mistake for such crops as had been raised this year will (?) (?) that I think if I was there to (?) for you that you would not be so Unable to read the rest of this letter, too faded.
Corinth Miss Nov 16th 1864
My Dear Wife,
As I have an opportunity of sending a letter out by hand I thought I would drop you a few lines, not that I have any thing of interest to communicate to you. We arrived here 2 days ago I found we had to march from this place to the Company which is near 60 miles. I reported to the commandant of the post and it so happened that it was Col. Reid. the Col. that I was under at Jacksonville, Ala. He scolded me for not reporting to him the night before so that he could have gave me shelter as it was a very rainy cold night & we had took it all. He appointed me Provo Marshall on the train but before I got off he recd orders to retain six hundred convalescence here as they arrived for post duty here so he stopped me & I have been organizing the men as they came in. I have charge of the few stragglers white & black prisoners (confeds) we are not having much duty to do yet, about 100 men convalescence come to night. I suppose they will be relieved here. I am tolerably well, though the wetting I got the other night & the wet weather now makes me feel rather worsted though able for my beef & corn bread. I have very good quarters, Jovan Jones to cook for me & Black to keep me in fun, so you see that I have part of Co B with me. This is one of the wettest countrys I ever saw & if it keeps on raining many days longer I think the army will have to stop for the winter & I wish how soon though I have quite a good position at present & it might last for sometime, but I am anxious for my resignation to be excepted so that I can visit my Dear wife & babes. I have heard nothing from home for nearly 2 months though I arm looking for Lt. Reid every day now I am very anxious to see him as I have no clothing only what I have on my back & they are thread bare though, I borrow from Jovan & have them washed (?) besides I know I shall hear from my sweet little Babes. Parson Allen Ammons left here yesterday for the fort. He is going to resign & thinks he will be back in a week or 10 days & if there is any letters at the Co for me he will bring them & my clothing, if they are not lost. As for war news I have none. I learn that 2 corps is on the north side of Ten. River & that all will cross & that Gen. Hood made a speech to his men & told them that he was going to Columbia Ten., not to fight but for them to be ready to do so, if it was nessary, he would then come back to the Ten. River to winter and furlough his men. I will close as Jovan wants me to write a few lines for him & my candle is getting very short, direct as before instructed to this place, my love to all kiss my babes often for me & believe me ever your devoted husband…..Alfa
Meridian Jan 31st 1865
My Dear Wife,
I again seat myself after a long silence to write you again. I wrote you last from Corinth but I doubt whether you got it as Mr. Sherman cut communication from you & this section of the country. Well I reckon you have heard all about the Ten. Campaign ere this. I was not in that run, I was stopped at Corinth & was Provo Guard there during the campaign & when the army fell back I was put in charge of prisoners & have been marching ever since say one, month & arrived here day before yesterday tired down & wore out. I passed within a few miles of our Regt at Tupelo but was too tired to go & see the boys. They sent me two letters from you dated 17th & 24th Nov, which I assure you was gladly recd, as I had not recd any from you since Reid came & I have not saw him yet. I suppose I will get to see the boys soon as they are coming here as reports say that Stewarts Corps is going to remain here, Lees & Cheatums to Geo. The cars is crammed with them goin to Geo. there is a good many being furloughed. I don’t know who out of my Co. I for one shall resign as soon as the Comdg arrive, if they will except my resignation. I cannot give you all the particulars of the casualties of our regt. My Co lost one a recruit from Raling, Kill Morgan lost his left arm & was left, Marve Tilaman wounded & left in the hands of the ememy, both doing well. Bill Corbin wounded by cannon ball on the back. Wash Thomas was wounded there too was slight & will be able for service soon. Poke Rusell was shot through the thigh all was doin well and was at Corinth when I left able to walk. Thomas Caloway & John Hall, Rob’s son was captured. Bob Hall also was wounded but I did not see him, though the boys say he come out & was doing well. I am sorry you have become dissatisfied with your negroes. I reckon you, Ben & Dee better rue back. I am also very sorry you are so dissatisfied with your farm. well we will go to Texas as soon as the war closes. The people here love peace made now & are an armistice & every thing else but war so I don’t know how it will turn out but the papers are full of peace news. I hope it so but I have but little confidence yet. I will send you some money first chance. I draw 2 months pay I also have some yankee money I will send you. Do the best you can & don’t give up, tell Pa if he has the money I wish he would pay the Bill Siler debt for me. I am so nervous & tired & have rheumatism that I cannot write so you will have to excuse this as I am setting by a pine tree writing on my knee. I will write again in a few days, kiss my sweet babes often for me, love to all & believe me ever a devoted & true loving husband, I remain true your man ….Alfa
Mobile Feby 9th 1865
My Dear Wife,
As the boys starts in the morning for home I thought I would write you a few lines. Capt. Crawford & 8 of his men have got furloughs. Lt. Penland & 6 of my men also goes. The boys are in a big way fixing today. I have no news to write. I suppose that we are permanent here for a while. I have not heard from my papers yet. I wrote you a few days ago by Reubin Lee & Cabe that I had sent up my resignation. If it comes back right, I’ll start home in a week or so but for fear it may not get up soon, I’ll send you two hundred dollars. I have only drawn 1 months wages 130 but I have been adding to it & send you 200 also the Pen & stock that I promised you. I sent this by Sid Slagle he has promised to go by our house & take it for me. He will tell you all the news for you see that I am so nervous that I cannot write, rheumatism has nearly ruined me for writing, so you will please excuse me as I hope to see you soon for not writing more. Kiss my babes often times for me, love to all & believe me ever your own……Alfa
Mobile, Ala Feby 28th 1865
My Dear Wife,
As Peter Morgan & Mark Bryson starts home in the morning I thought I would write you a few lines, not in answer to any that I have received from you for I assure you that I have recd no letters from you since I arrived here. I would be very glad to recd a note from you. I am looking everyday for a letter, but I may not get one until the boys get back and that will be ten days yet, if they come on time and that is a long time to wait, but it cannot be helped, these war times. I have no war news to write as the seat of war has been moved at the present time to South and North Carolina. It looks gloomy in the extreme. It looks like Sherman goes where he pleases, takes Savannah, Charleston, Columbia and will commence in the towns of North Carolina. I fear will take all the principal towns in the state of Georgia and then take Richmond, then the Confederacy will nearly be ( ?). Well I have not heard anything from my resignation yet. I fear Sherman will cause a long delay, so I went before the medical board yesterday. They promised me a certificate of disability for me to resign on. I shall then ask for a leave of absence, it will be a week or ten days before they can make it out, as there were so many applicants for furloughs. I still hope I’ll get off soon. I have always heard it said there was luck in leave and I think it for the best. We may get pay soon, the rail roads repaired and other things turn up, that will be for the best. Who knows, so I will try an control myself if I can, but it will be hard, very hard to do so.
I am a little better with rheumatism. I am not quite so nervous now for I purged myself last week severally, but I still have rheumatism an quite nervous now. I don’t know whether this place will be attacked or not, the cannons are booming everyday, both from our gunboats an the yankees, but they are only practicing, thought it may lead to a fight. I send by Pete Mason a coat as I have more than I can take care of and if I get to come home it will save me carrying it and Peter offers to take it for me, for getting him a furlough. I have got plenty of clothing at present and shoes. I sent by Lt. Reid to Raleigh for cloth to make me a suit, but I fear Sherman has stopped him going and we will not get the cloth that the state allowed us, which will be a great loss to the officers.
I don’t know that I can say anything that would interest you as Sid Slagle promised me that he would go to see you. He has ere this I hope visited you and gave you all the news from here. You must excuse my shortness as it is a great task for me to write being nervous. I am anxious to see your babe, see whether its pretty or not and more anxious to see Faney and Minnie as they are my sweet darling babys, but you are not forgotten. I long to see you and see how fat you are. I love fat women, they make such good bed fellows. I fear your fat will not stay with you long after I get home. I will close, my love to all. Kiss my babe often for me and believe me ever your true devoted.
Alfa
Mobile, Ala Feby 15th 1865
My Dear Wife,
As John Vanhook & others of my Co starts home in the morning I thought I would drop you a few lines as my letters by Sid Slagle was short. I was to nervous to write an not much better yet although I am not suffering from rheumatism so bad. I took oil an salts both today, its not operating much as I have had headache an my bowels hurt me for several days, so I thought I would stop it by them passing myself. I have no war news to write. We are all laying generally in camps and are doing light duty and getting plenty of rations. I have not been on duty since I came to the command of Capt. Hughes. He is in command of the regiment. He wanted me to take command, but I declined in his favor, so I reckon he will be the Maj. he is a very cleaver fellow. The regt had no doctor, he gave me the place of acting physician, so its quite a pleasant position as there is but little sickness in the Regt now. I sent by Sid Slagle 200 hundred dollars, a gold pen an silver stock, which I hope will go safe. I know it will if he goes safe, so you see I am not a spend thrift for I only drew 130 and sent you 200. I have 60 left to spend besides I have 30 in Yankee money which I could have sold at 12 for one. Don’t you think our money is nearly played out? Well I sent up my resignation the 6 inst. It was excepted by Coleman, when command the regt an Cockrell who command the Division so I reckon it is all right. I also asked for leave of absence for 30 days it was not granted so I reckon I shall have to wait for my papers to return from Richmond which generally takes a month but may take longer now, Sherman has the road cut. I also hear that the army is to organize this spring an give the officers 60 days to select their command that is the (?) , I think it right and I don’t care how soon it takes place, well I am very anxious to hear from you and the babes, the last was dated 29th Dec it seems like it has been a year, but I must endure it in this time, but would not if it was any other time, but we must give an endure an hope for peace an better times. Its thought we will draw money soon, I hope we will. I will try an settle with Jeff an not get so behind with him, I wish if Pa has the money he would pay the Bill Siler debt for me as its due an I want it recd. I was sorry to hear of the deaths in Old Macon, John Reids mother an old Uncle John Hall but that is what we are born for, to die an we cannot avoid death. I am glad that the girls still want to marry an do so on every occasion. One of my boys, Jas. Fulcher to Bill McConnells daughter & Jeff McConnell to Jas. G. Grays daughter. Well I reckon it right but if I was single now I should not marry until the war was ended. Mollie please excuse me for my shortness for I assure you it is not because I don’t want to write but I am so nervous that it is a task beside its straining to me trying to steady my knees, write me to Mobile Eclers Brig, Frenches, Divi the Corp is all gone to Geo. none are here but Frenches Divi so leave off the Stweart Corps. My love to all I send you some more paper to read. I close kiss my babes for me, I ever remain your true
Alfa