Bits of Blue and Gray: "Bits of Blue and Gray:
An American Civil War Notebook "
in my mailbox this morning

"The Weekly Fireside"
of the American Civil War History
Special Interest Group;
Distribution Coast to Coast
Week ending October 26, 2003


HOSTFMLYJayne@aol.com wrote:

> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> --------OUR WEEKLY READING--------
> (these items are extracts from our Letters, Songs,
> and Poems evenings)
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>
>
> Pollyann9 sent this is a copy of a letter written by a Confederate soldier to his parents just before his death by hanging as a spy. The letter is long, but may be of interest to all DODDS and descendants of the other men mentioned in the letter.
>
> Knoxville Jail, Jan. 6th, '64
> Mr. Travis Dodd
> Richmond, Ky
>
> My dear Father,
>
> Under far different circumstances to those by which I was surrounded when I last wrote, I take my seat to write you this letter. I am under closer guard and laboring under the sentence of DEATH pronounced by the courtmartial held in this city. I was captured in Sevier County, 16 miles southeast of this place, while on my way to rejoin my command with Longstreet. By referring to the map you will notice Loudon, on the Holston River, on the railroad running from Chattanooga to Knoxville. After Longstreet came up from Bragg's army to Knoxville, preceded by our division of cavalry, our wagon trains (cavalry) came up to Loudon. I had not been with the command since Bragg's retreat from Tullahoma to Bridgeport and the line of the Tennessee River.
>
> I lost my horse on the retreat and it is almost impossible to get them in Ga. After we came to Loudon I bought a horse to trade for a better one, and went with a detail from camp, up the little Tennessee river for the purpose of getting a horse. While we were out I got a horse, and the Federal troops coming up from Chattanooga to relieve Burnside at Knoxville got possession of the country, our wagon trains going on to the army in my absence. We started to go through Blount and Sevier Counties, along the foot of the mountain to Strawberry Plains, in Jefferson County, to where we understood Longstreet was. There were nine or ten of us together, but we got separated in the dark and but three of went on together. We went on to Marysville, and there our horses were captured. We ran into the Federal pickets, were fired upon, ran across a field; one of the boys with us had his horse to fall with him, my saddle turned, bridle broke and my animal got away from me, the third man jumped off his horse, and thus we lost our horses. We made out on foot; come around the town and some seven miles above to Little River where we laid up the next day in the woods, and at night crossed the river and came to a Mr. Hiram Bayles, to whom I had been referred by Major Pugh, as a good Southern man. We got something to eat and stayed there until the next evening, then got directions to Timothy Chandlers, in Sevier County. We missed the way two or three times and had to stop and inquire.
>
> We passed near to where the Home Guards were camped, finally found Mr. Chandlers, got something to eat and directions. 'Twas dark and rainy, 10 o'clock at night, we went to his barn and concluded to get in the straw and stay till the next night, and then go through, we thought we could make it. The next day the Home Guards got on track, searched the barn, found the two men that were with me and myself. I had on a blue Federal overcoat and blue pants, when captured. The pants is our uniform.
>
> I was tried by the court-martial as a spy, but the charge and specifications could not be sustained; yet they have condemned me to be hung as a spy, the execution to take place day after tomorrow, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. I feel prepared to meet my fate as a soldier, and firmly rely on God's promises to save the penitent. I feel, and know, that my past life has not been in accordance with the commands laid down in the Bible, but yet I know that He is able to save. All that is required is a full surrender of heart, which I freely give, relying implicitly on the promises of His Holy Word for acceptance. I find much comfort in the scriptures, which shall be my last and latest companion. I am treated as kindly by the guard as I could under the circumstances.
>
> The Rev. Mr. Martin, of the Presbyterian Church, is visiting me and affords me much consolation; also Mr. Hollington, Chaplain of the 11th Ohio, and the Chaplin of the Post, Mr. Bent. I feel, dear Father and Mother, that if I suffer penalty tomorrow, that the exchange of worlds will be for the better, that I will join my sainted mother in heaven, there worship and adore my God through endless futurity.
>
> I want you to give my love (after accepting for yourself and my mother, the deepest of my heart) to all my friends. Do not grieve for me, my dear parents, for I am leaving a world of sin and crime for one of perfect bliss. I can say no more.
>
> Your loving son.
>
> E. S. Dodd,
> Private Co. D,
> Terry's Texas Rangers
>

and some links

from Bitsobluengray
Civil War Prisoners-Libby Prison
Civil War Prisoners-Libby: "The Capture,
the Prison Pen,
and the Escape,
giving a complete
History of Prison Life in the South"


Historic Preservation - Information about Civil War Cemeteries: "Civil War Era National Cemeteries "

Civil War Prison Camps: "CensusDiggins.com >


U.S. Civil War Prisons



Andersonville Civil War Prison: "Andersonville, or Camp Sumter as it was officially known, was one of the largest of many established prison camps during the American Civil War. It was built early in 1864 after Confederate officials decided to move the large number of Federal prisoners kept in and around Richmond, Virginia, to a place of greater security and a more abundant food supply.
During the 14 months the prison existed, more than 45,000 Union Solders were confined here. Of these, almost 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure to the elements. "

As a european and an englishman I knew precious little about USA history and hanging out in Jayne's AOL genealogical chat room has been an education.

Family history today is much more than pedigree and ancestor name collecting - as one American visitor said at Clutton on Saturday it is verging on social and historical anthropology