Letters from George Washington McEwen to his wife, Mary Catherine, Coosa, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/coosa/newspapers/gwharden.txt ==================================================================== USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Project Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Ronald Bridges ==================================================================== May 2001 A LETTER WRITTEN TO GEORGE'S WIFE, MARY CATHERINE, WHILE HE WAS ON THE DUTY FOR THE 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment [Partisan Rangers] March the 24, 1864 My Dear Wife I will rite (write) you afew (a few) lines this eavining (evening) to let you no (know) that I am well and harty (hardy). I have riten (written) you too (two) letters this weeke (week) but I have jest (just) reseave (received) too (two) letters from you that came by hand and as I will not have the chance to rite (write) tomorrow as we have to go out on picket. I will rite (write) afew ( a few) lines this eavening (evening). My Dear I was vary (very) glad to hear from home and was more than glad to get the one letter tho I was vary (very) sorry to hear that the baby was so sick and had bin (been) tho I am inhopes (in hopes ) that he has goten (gotten) well before this time. I was rite (right) sick the first of this weeke (week) tho I am harty (hardy) at this. and I am in hopes that you will get this in dew (do) time and find you all well. I can tell you that we are not seeing as good time her (here) as we have seen in past days tho we can stande (stand) it very well if it don't get any worst. You sed (said) in one of yerin (your) letters that it was reported that Charles Murry(1) was in this contry (country). tho is is (the word is was written twice) a mifsstake (mistake) for he is her (here) and has bin (been) ver (ever) since he first came. I think that he is willing to stay her (here) now. I will be glad to her (hear) of Larkin Beasley(2) having to go. and I no (know) if he gets jestes (the word might be just) that that he will have to go. our hole (whole) regment (regiment) has to go on picket in the morning. it take a regement (regiment) a weeke (week) from our brigade. My Dear we had another hevy (heavy) snow her (here) last evening but that is too (two) snows that we have had her (here) this weeke (week). it rained this morning and melted it all off. we have a good company now. we have 78 men presant (present) for duty and there an order that we can furlo (furlough) one man for every 25 and we had men that we wanted to get off. and Miller was one of them and the furlows (furloughs) has to bee (be) trane (train) and Miller fails to get one but as soon as those go and get back he can go if the order is not countermanded. I no (know) that Ellen(3) thinks long of the time but he will get off after while. My Dear I can't tell you any thing about when I can cum (come) home. but I could tell you vary (very) quick when I would want to cum (come). I want to cum (come) now and will untill (until) I get the chance to cum (come). I will close for the presant (present). I remain your loving husband untill (until) death. Love (may be the word) G. W. McEwen M. C. McEwen (1)Charles Murray name is in the book, page 95, History of Coosa County, Alabama, by Rev. George E. Brewer (2) Larkin Beasley died April 22, 1905. He is buried in Poplar Springs Cemetery, located at Hanover, Coosa Co., AL. (3) Ellen (maiden name Logan) Miller is listed in Coosa County Records, Volume II, "Cemeteries", page 75. It states that she was born May 26, 1839, and died June 27, 1871. The man Miller, Ellen's husband and who George McEwen writes about, is Andrew Jackson Miller, who is also listed in the Coosa County Records, page 75, born January 24, 1834, & died January 25, 1905. They are both buried in the Poplar Springs Cemetery, located at Hanover, Coosa County, AL. Emma Jane McEwen, the daughter of George and Mary McEwen, later marries James A. Miller, the son of Andrew J. Miller and Ellen Miller. A LETTER WRITTEN TO GEORGE'S WIFE, MARY, WHILE HE WAS ON THE DUTY FOR THE 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment [Partisan Rangers] the start of Georgia Whitfied County April the 10th 1864 My dear Wife it is again that I try to rite (write) you afew (a few) lines which will not inform you that I am well. But I can tell you that I am so as to be up and about on last Tuesday. I had a lite (light) chill and on Thursday I had one that lasted me about too (two) hours. tho (though) yesterday I miste (missed) it. I take quinine until I feel quite foolish to day. I dont (don't) think that I will have any nother (another) chill this time. the first chill I had we was out on ascout (a scout) with our company. it dident (didn't) hurt me mutch (much) but the last one I taken it about the time that we got to camps and it was one of the worst ones that I ever had. our scout was over in Mury (Murray) County that is the next county east of this. we had afine (a fine) time over thane (most likely there) if I had have bin (been) well to have enjoyed it. you neant (needn't) to think that I am bad off and won't write it for I dont (don't) think it is any thing but the chills alded (ailed) me and I think that tha (they) are broke. I think that the affects of the quinine will be the worst job to get (?) of now. when I back here to camp last Thursday I got a leter (letter) from you having date of the 27 of March and that it the first one that I have goten (gotten) by male (mail) yet. I was vary (very) glad to get it and would have ritin (written) before now but I was unwell and thought I would. I saw whither I got beter (better) on not. I am felling var (very) well to day considerin. I have just eaten aharty (a hardy) dinner and feal (feel) beter (better). My mare is lame yet in one of her hind legs. I rote (wrote) to you once before about it. I think she is stiffle (stiff). She is like that ponity (pony) horse that I had on Wewoka (?). she has not bin (been) fit to ride in over a weeke (week) and she has fallen off arit (a right) smart. She is in fold and I will have to do something with her before long. It may bee (be) that I can get the chance to cary (carry) her home after Lieut Buck gets back. The most of Boddys command has gone back to Alabama. tha (they) have all gon (gone) but our rigement (regiment) and Snodgrap Batalion (Battalion) and it is thought that we will go before long at least we are all hoping so. I rote (wrote) to you this day was a weeke (week) ago and haven't rote (wrote) since that has bin (been) the longest time that I have mist (missed) since I have bin (been) in this state. We have a vary (very) late spring her (here). thare (there) is no vegatation put out here yet. O my Dear I do want to see you and the children worse than I ever did. I want you to not try to cill (kill) your self at hard work. And take everything as easy as possable (possible). I no (know) that you have a harde (hard) time. And you must consider that thare (there) thousands that has worse time than you do. My Dear I must close I remain your affectionate husband. G. W. McEwen To his dear Fimaly (Family)