Files
Download Full Text (1.6 MB)
Date Original
1864 January 30
Description
Letter from William A. Crawford at Camp Monticello to his wife, Sarah. Crawford tells his wife that he is doing well and he praises the land along the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers as being the "most plentiful in the state." He writes of thousands of acres of corn "standing in the fields on the Ark. River, not gathered nor ever will be." He assures his wife that he has plenty of clothes for the next twelve months and thanks her for the handkerchiefs she sent. He also praises the ladies of Monticello for their kindness to the soldiers in the hospital.
Transcription
[Page 1] Camp Monticello Arks
Jan 30th 1864
Dear Sarah,
It has been but a few
since I wrote you by Lt. Henderson
but as I have an opportunity of sending
to you I will write you again
I have nothing new since my last
I am still with my command at the
place, and faring first rate in the way of
supplies of every kind, the country here, and
along the Arks and Mississippi rivers is the
most plentiful portion of the state, we find
every thing necessary for the sustenance of
an Army, in the greatest abundance of
Thousands of acres of the finest corn I ever
saw, is yet standing in the fields on the Arks
river, not gathered nor ever will be.
I have a good command of Cavalry
now & hope to be able to render my country
good service when the spring campaign
opens - I wrote to you in my last asking
your opinion in regard to sending Morris
home with a pony, or mule to try to make
a small crop of corn, etc. If you think there
would be no danger of the army taking
him off. I would like to do so, I can get
another boy to wait on me and I know
he would be greater benefit to you at
home, If you can manage him, which
I think you can do, though he is consid-
erably spoiled. I have had frequently to leave him behind
with person who failed to make him mind
them, he is sick now, I believe he has pneumonia,
We have had a good deal of sickness since I
returned from the swamps
You wrote to me about making me a suit
of Jeans. You need not make now, I
have a new suit of the finest kind of gray
jeans presented to me by Genl Fagan, coat pants&
cape, ready made, [illegible] it was a good present indeed
[Page 2] and come in good time, I have also a patern[sic]
of Confederate gray which I have had no
chance to have made so I will not need that
which you make for me until next winter.
I would rather wear a suit of your own make
than anything else. I have enough cloths[sic] to
do me for 12 months. The only article I need is
over shirts, which we all wear in the army
when to be had.
I rcvd the hdkrchiefs[sic] you sent me by Mr. H.
"Much obliged," I needed, I needed[sic] one the worst sort,
The ladies of Monticello and vincinity are
very kind to my sick men at that place, they
visit the hospittle[sic] regularly and furnish the sick
boys with everything in their power to render
them comfortable, & a lady (Mrs. Col. Lowery)
sent me yesterday a nice basket of provisions
consisting of a baked turkey, two nice pound cakes,
some eggs, biscuits, milk, etc. I shall always feel
thankful for such marks of kindnesses.
Mr Payne is going to [illegible], you will see him
he has seen your brother Sam since I have, I am
informed Payne that his command was going
to Texas, he was quite well.
I want you to buy everything you need
that can be bought with Confederate money.
If you need more money let me know it
My love to the children[.] remember
me to them, I want to see you all verry[sic]
bad indeed. Also my love to your parents,
Truly & Affectionately Yours
W.A. Crawford
Jan 31st
Capt Brown (Mr Collin's son in law) arrived her last night
he informs me that Capt Mark Miller died at Camden on Wednesday
last. I left him sick when I came from there, his wife was, I am
informed, with him. Miller was a good soldier and his
death is regreted[sic] by all his comrades.
Crawford
Physical Description
Letter, 2 pages, 7.75" x 12.5"
Subjects
Civil War; War; Spouses; Military; Military camps; Military life; Military personnel
Contributor
William Ayers Crawford
Geographical Area
Camp Monticello, Drew County (Ark.)
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000047, correspondence item 10 (supplement)
Resource Type
Text
Collection
William Ayers Crawford papers, MS.000047
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Letter, William Crawford to Sarah Crawford, William Ayers Crawford papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Preview
