18th Mississippi Infantry-Wounded & Captured 3 Times: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg & Sailors Creek

Item CON-6478

Description

Original Civil War Prisoner of War Confederate letter, 1 page written in period ink.

Wounded at Fredericksburg - December 16, 1862
Captured at Fredericksburg - May 3, 1863
Wounded & Captured at Gettysburg - July 2, 1863
Wounded & Captured at Sailor's Creek - April 6, 1865

Hospital, Johnson’s Island
June 7th 1864

Miss Virginia Miller

My Unknown Friend,

A letter received from you a few days ago by my friend, Colonel Luse, has induced me to assume to liberty of writing to you and of thanking you not only for the kindly interest which you manifest in me, but for the officer of assistance which you make me. You can very well understand that situated as we are, having been confined for nearly a year, and cut off now from all communication even with our home friends, we most deeply feel any expression of sympathy coming from the outside world. Although I have never enjoyed the pleasure of your personal acquaintance, yet you are far from being a stranger. And as you are related to some of my best and most valued friends, the Misses Harrison of Leesburg, I cannot think of you as of one whom I had never known. Besides a very pleasant smile and bow, which yourself and sister once gave a private soldier on an occasion when you once visited the camp of the 18th Regiment, is remembered with no slight pleasure by me. With many thinks for your offer of assistance. I am happy to state that I have many relatives north of “the line” who have kept me well supplied with everything necessary for my comfort.

I am now just recovering from a severe and very protracted attack of typhoid fever. And am scarcely able to sit up long enough to write this letter. Do you ever hear form your friends in Leesburg? If you should have an opportunity of writing soon, you will confer a great favor upon me by conveying my kindest regards to them and assure them that I look forward with great pleasure to a renewal of my acquaintance with them “when this cruel war is over.”

With kindest regards, I am,
Very Respectfully Your Friend,

J. F. Sessions

N.B. If you should write to any of us here, which I hope you will do, be careful not to write more than one page, or it will not be allowed to come in.





Hospital, Johnson’s Island

June 7th 1864

Miss Virginia Miller

My Unknown Friend,

A letter received from you a few days ago by my friend, Colonel Luse, has induced me to assume to liberty of writing to you and of thanking you not only for the kindly interest which you manifest in me, but for the officer of assistance which you make me. You can very well understand that situated as we are, having been confined for nearly a year, and cut off now from all communication even with our home friends, we most deeply feel any expression of sympathy coming from the outside world. Although I have never enjoyed the pleasure of your personal acquaintance, yet you are far from being a stranger. And as you are related to some of my best and most valued friends, the Misses Harrison of Leesburg, I cannot think of you as of one whom I had never known. Besides a very pleasant smile and bow, which yourself and sister once gave a private soldier on an occasion when you once visited the camp of the 18th Regiment, is remembered with no slight pleasure by me. With many thinks for your offer of assistance. I am happy to state that I have many relatives north of “the line” who have kept me well supplied with everything necessary for my comfort.

I am now just recovering from a severe and very protracted attack of typhoid fever. And am scarcely able to sit up long enough to write this letter. Do you ever hear form your friends in Leesburg? If you should have an opportunity of writing soon, you will confer a great favor upon me by conveying my kindest regards to them and assure them that I look forward with great pleasure to a renewal of my acquaintance with them “when this cruel war is over.”

With kindest regards, I am,

Very Respectfully Your Friend,


J. F. Sessions

N.B. If you should write to any of us here, which I hope you will do, be careful not to write more than one page, or it will not be allowed to come in.