Letter from Pvt. John Wesley Stewart
Company H (Panola Rifles), 13th Georgia Vol. Infantry
Spotsylvania Court House, May 15, 1864
Transcribed by Janelle Stewart Souder
In Line of Battle near
Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
This May 15th, 1864
Dear Mother
I this morning take my seat on the ground to let you know that I am still
alive when many fair fellow have fell by my side, but I cannot say that I am
well. I have a very bad cold, and my shoulder is very sore from the kick of
my gun. Mother, the fight is not over yet. We had to fight them every day
for (?) and they are firing right close to here now, but I knew that you would be glad to hear from me and I thought that I would have a few minutes to write. We have lost six men out of our company. I don't think you know any of them. I will give the names of the boys: James Jenkins, Frank Cook, Kinch Farr, Jack Huckeby,
(Page 2)
William Carey, Sean Henderson and we have fourteen or fifteen wounded.
Michael is well and with the company. Mother I haven't got time to tell you
now, I will tell in my next letter. Mother I saw the (?) sight this morning
I ever saw since I been in the war. I saw over one thousand men lying on
the top o f the ground and had been killed last Sunday was a week ago and
the flesh and skin was all fell off the bones and the maggots was eating
them up. They were all Yankees. We buried all our dead. We always held
the battlefield, but I cannot tell how it will turn out, but I hope and pray
to God that it may turn out in our favor. Mother I cannot thank God or do
anything half enough for sparing me through so many dangerous places.
Mother give Him thanks for me. Mother I have not had a chance to pull off
(Page 3)
my shoes in seventeen days, and nights and I cannot tell when I will. I
hope I will soon. Me and Micki have been through all of the fight and came
out safe to the end. Mother I have not time to write any more to you, I don't think you can read what I have wrote. I am in a very big hurry and I have lost so much sleep until I have not got any sense hardly. I want you to write soon as you get this for I haven't heard from home in three weeks or more. I received a letter from near home this morning but it never stated anything about you. Mother this is Yankee paper, red white and blue. Mother give my love to all the family, tell May and Livey and Marfa to write
to me.
So goodby my loving old Mother.
Your son, J. W. Stewart
Write soon.
[ Scan of Original Letter ]
[Top] [Back]
Last Updated: May 15, 2000
|