Private John W. Wilson's Letters
From a copy of a letter obtained from Rodger Hare, P. O. Box 721, Grove Hill, AL 36451. The spelling, punctuation, etc. are the writer's, Pvt. John W. Wilson, Co. A, 38th Alabama Infantry of Clarke County, Alabama. Art Green July 1999
1862
The Island Fort Gaines, Ala May the 26th
Dear Mother I seat myself this morning to let you know that I have been sick with the measles but I am up and about again and I think I will soon be able to go on duty. I hope these few lines may find you all well and doing well. I would like mightly to see you all. I kep ten dollars here but I loned John Fendley five dollars of it and he said ? ? Larrimore to tell Mr. P. Fendley to Pay it to Pappy and I want you all to Keep them five dollars purpose to on letters to send to me. I want you all when you send a letter to me to Pay the postage out of that money don't mistake Mr Fendley owes Pappy five $ and I want Grand Mother and all of you to Pay Postage out of it Mother I want you to send me a pair of summer Pants and a Jacket for all the other boys most have a yarn Jacket and I would like to have one my self but dont put your self to any trouble and dont send but one pair of pants. Mother if you get this letter before Larrimore comes back send them by him but if you dont get it so that you can send them by him you need not to mind about sending them John Fendley has sent home for some eggs and butter and Mother I would like to have Some eggs and a little butter or fat you can put them in the same box with John Fendleys and it will all come to gether put in same box and Mr Fendley can take (torn) to the river if he wont never mind about it try to keep them seperate for me and John aint in a mess to gether if you receive this before Larrimore comes back Send these things but if you dont never mind any thing about it tell them all to write to me tell Pappy to write how high his corn is tell him to write about that money I sent by Larrimore so that I will know whether ever thing is Straight or not tell Thomas Fenlley to write to me I have nothing more at Present to write tell Lucy and Mary they can write now every week you have all got money to Pay Postage now as soon as Mr Fendley Pays Pappy so nothing more but remain your son
J. W. Wilson.
The Island Fort Gaines, Ala May the 26th
Dear Mother I seat myself this morning to let you know that I have been sick with the measles but I am up and about again and I think I will soon be able to go on duty. I hope these few lines may find you all well and doing well. I would like mightly to see you all. I kep ten dollars here but I loned John Fendley five dollars of it and he said ? ? Larrimore to tell Mr. P. Fendley to Pay it to Pappy and I want you all to Keep them five dollars purpose to on letters to send to me. I want you all when you send a letter to me to Pay the postage out of that money don't mistake Mr Fendley owes Pappy five $ and I want Grand Mother and all of you to Pay Postage out of it Mother I want you to send me a pair of summer Pants and a Jacket for all the other boys most have a yarn Jacket and I would like to have one my self but dont put your self to any trouble and dont send but one pair of pants. Mother if you get this letter before Larrimore comes back send them by him but if you dont get it so that you can send them by him you need not to mind about sending them John Fendley has sent home for some eggs and butter and Mother I would like to have Some eggs and a little butter or fat you can put them in the same box with John Fendleys and it will all come to gether put in same box and Mr Fendley can take (torn) to the river if he wont never mind about it try to keep them seperate for me and John aint in a mess to gether if you receive this before Larrimore comes back Send these things but if you dont never mind any thing about it tell them all to write to me tell Pappy to write how high his corn is tell him to write about that money I sent by Larrimore so that I will know whether ever thing is Straight or not tell Thomas Fenlley to write to me I have nothing more at Present to write tell Lucy and Mary they can write now every week you have all got money to Pay Postage now as soon as Mr Fendley Pays Pappy so nothing more but remain your son
J. W. Wilson.
The letter below along with the comments, photocopies and references was submitted by Christian Dahl.
(some punctuation and spelling corrections made)
Chattanooga Tenn July the 7th 1863[i][i] R.T. Wilson[ii][ii]
Dear Father I seat myself this evening to let you know that I am not very well. I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying good health. We have been marching ever since the day Mr. Cobb left and the fourth Day I give out so I couldn’t go and they sent me to the wagons and I have been with them ever since. Good many of our boys give out. Capt.[iii] and Lt. Coale[iv] Both give out. Our boys was in line of battle four Days and nights[v] and it rained all the time. The Yankees throwed their shells at us Pretty thick one bursted in ten feet of me and Thomas Dukes[iii][vi] none of the Boys of our Regt Didn’t get hurt. Our company lost nearly everything they had though I have got my knapsack yet there was a great many things Destroyed. I have been acting orderly for the Surgeon ever since Mr. Cobb left. I hope you have had rain a Plenty for it has been raining here for three weeks and we have been in it ever bit.[iv][vii] It is raining now and I have got the worst chance to write I ever have had since I have been in the service. I will write to you in a few Days so nothing more at Present. But I Remain your affectionate Son John W. Wilson.[v][viii]
[vi][iii] Probably John B. Perkins, Captain of Company G, 38th Alabama Infantry. He was killed at Chicamauga on October 10, 1863.
[vii][iv] 1st Lieutenant Samuel Skipwith Coale (1813-1877) was with Company A of the 38th Alabama Infantry, and was from Clarke County Alabama, the same county as the writer of this letter, John W. Wilson.
[viii][v] The Battle of Hoover’s Gap was on June 24, 1863. This was the principal battle of the Tullahoma Campaign, which drove the Confederate forces out of Middle Tennessee. It was the first time the 38th Alabama Infantry had been under fire.
Note:
Wilson mentions Mr. Cobb twice. The Surgeon for the 38th, John Samuel Meriwether, had a father-in-law named James Cobb Coleman, and I think there might be a medical connection with "Mr. Cobb", because of the line in the letter where Wilson says he's been acting orderly since Mr. Cobb left. In the letters on line between Meriwether and his wife, it seems that there is always a question as to where her father is, so this may be the "Mr. Cobb" Wilson is talking about who apparently left the regiment. It may be one of those things that will always be a mystery.
Chattanooga Tenn July the 7th 1863[i][i] R.T. Wilson[ii][ii]
Dear Father I seat myself this evening to let you know that I am not very well. I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying good health. We have been marching ever since the day Mr. Cobb left and the fourth Day I give out so I couldn’t go and they sent me to the wagons and I have been with them ever since. Good many of our boys give out. Capt.[iii] and Lt. Coale[iv] Both give out. Our boys was in line of battle four Days and nights[v] and it rained all the time. The Yankees throwed their shells at us Pretty thick one bursted in ten feet of me and Thomas Dukes[iii][vi] none of the Boys of our Regt Didn’t get hurt. Our company lost nearly everything they had though I have got my knapsack yet there was a great many things Destroyed. I have been acting orderly for the Surgeon ever since Mr. Cobb left. I hope you have had rain a Plenty for it has been raining here for three weeks and we have been in it ever bit.[iv][vii] It is raining now and I have got the worst chance to write I ever have had since I have been in the service. I will write to you in a few Days so nothing more at Present. But I Remain your affectionate Son John W. Wilson.[v][viii]
[vi][iii] Probably John B. Perkins, Captain of Company G, 38th Alabama Infantry. He was killed at Chicamauga on October 10, 1863.
[vii][iv] 1st Lieutenant Samuel Skipwith Coale (1813-1877) was with Company A of the 38th Alabama Infantry, and was from Clarke County Alabama, the same county as the writer of this letter, John W. Wilson.
[viii][v] The Battle of Hoover’s Gap was on June 24, 1863. This was the principal battle of the Tullahoma Campaign, which drove the Confederate forces out of Middle Tennessee. It was the first time the 38th Alabama Infantry had been under fire.
Note:
Wilson mentions Mr. Cobb twice. The Surgeon for the 38th, John Samuel Meriwether, had a father-in-law named James Cobb Coleman, and I think there might be a medical connection with "Mr. Cobb", because of the line in the letter where Wilson says he's been acting orderly since Mr. Cobb left. In the letters on line between Meriwether and his wife, it seems that there is always a question as to where her father is, so this may be the "Mr. Cobb" Wilson is talking about who apparently left the regiment. It may be one of those things that will always be a mystery.