William H. Burdett(e)’s Civil War Record & Letters Home, Dallas & Lowndes, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/lowndes/military/civilwar/whburdette.t xt ================================================================== 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. ALGenWeb Archives File Manager, Carolyn Golowka ================================================================== Submitted by Meredith Clapper, December 2000 From AL Depatment of Archives & History: Burdett, W H 2nd corpl: enlisted June 9, 1863; Alabama Defenders of Lowndes Co., AL Home Guards disbanded March 9, 1864 Muster roll dated Lounds Co. June 9, 1863 Burdett, W H M. L. Brooks Co. Loundes Co. Militia age 42 overseer for widows & minors muster roll June 29, 1863 January 14, 1864 My Dear Julia Once more I seat myself to write you a few lines as it is the first time that I have the chance to since we came back. We got back to Camp Morgin this day was a week. I am suffering a great deal at this time with boils on my feet and legs Julia I send you $20. I have mor to send when I here from you whether you got this or not. Oh that I could see you all at this time and tell you som of my trubbles. Julia, when you get this, writ to me soon as you get it and I will send you some more. I thought I would come and bring money myself but understand that there will be no more furlous granted so I concluded to try to send it in a letter We have had a hard time of it when we were gone. Rainy and cold and after we came back we have had some of as cold weather as I hav saw in my life. The sleet lay over the ground for 4 days. We are now ordered to Mobile as soon as the river gets so we can cross Write soon My dear wife W. H. Burdett Selma Ala Mrs J. A. Burdett Sunday morn Feb 7th 1864 I write again to day to let you know where I am at this time. We arrived here Sat night from Mobile We are at Selma we has bin woundez We have traveled 12 hundred miles We came from 12 miles below Mobile to hear I do not know where we will go from this place. Now my dear Julia Ann I want you to write to me as soon as you get this as I have not heard from you since middle of Dec 1863 and you doo not know how bad I want to hear from you all I have nothing to writ about I am hoping to get to come home to see you all this spring but chance looks bad at this time I sent you some money some time back. I have not heard from you. I want you to write to me at this place as soon as you git this letter. If I could see you I could tell you more than I would write Julia you don't know how bad I want to hear from you In my last letter that I wrote to you I was at Mobile. In that letter I told you that Mrs Moon was dead The way I got the news was Ben Meddows was hear I have heard this morning the we may be going to N. Ala or Tennessee. Julia kiss all the children for me. (I intend to come) Tell Jimmy be a good boy When we start from this place I intend to try to come by home and see you all. Nothing more at this time writ soon as you git this and send it this place as I don't no how long we will stay hear. W. H. Burdett Envelope: Hopkinsville, Ala Mar 4 Return Capt. T. J. Grimes address Clanton's Brigade Postmark: Montevello, Ala (date not listed) Letter: Selma, Ala. Feb 8, 1864 To: Mrs. J. A. Burdett Selma Feb 8, 1864 To Mrs J A Burdette My Dear Wife I write you again today in answer to your letter that I rec'd yesterday after I wrote one I was very glad to hear that you are well I am well today except my legs and feet has sores and risings on I don't know what is the matter with them I suffer a great deal with them We are doing very well in the way of eating We got bacon and cornbread plenty. I send you $20 more You must write to me at this place as soon as get this I will send you some more if you got this Write to me I dont think we will stay here long so write soon so I can get it soon. Kiss all the children for me. Nothing more at this time but remain your husband. W. H. Burdett March 1864 Montevello, Ala Mrs J A. Burdett My Dear Wife It is through the mercy of God that I am permitted to write you a few more lines I am well at thiz time all but my legs. I have sorez on my legz so that I can not hardly walk and they don't get no better. I have been trying to come home to see you all but they wont let me come home. Nobody can get a furlough now but I intend to come sometime in the course of a month or two if I live. Tell the children to have me a hat made for me when I come for a I need one very bad. You might get ________ higher price for you hatz. They is selling hear for $30 and $40 a piece. Ben Meadows has been home and Thomas Prather is at Ft Delawar and he herd it Hopred (?) herd from Frank Maddox Tom and Frank Meddow and Tom Light iz all together. You can tell your mother. You must write to me at this place and send me word whether you got the last $20 that I sent you $100 in all Send me a letter soon and send all you can W. H. Burdett March 21 1864 Gadezden, Ala. My dear Wife It is through the Mercy of God that I am permitted to write to you I am at Gadezden at this time in the snow I am well at this time all But a pain in the brest and bad cold. The snow is about 13 inches deep today. I received you letter of March ___ and two others of March and I was glad to hear from you. I want to see you all very bad. I dont think I can come to see you. I am nearly bare footed and naked. My clothes is almost tattered and if you make me some pleaze dye them black if you can I am glad to know that you got the money I sent you it is all I have. I have never drawn any money The Government owes me $200 now when get paid will send you some more. I have suffered great deal up hear since I have to this place. We have traveled som 2 thousand miles and we are all worn out. Kiss all the children for me We have marching orders at this time to Blue Mountain Your husband W. H. Burdett Envelope: From Cpl W. H. Burdett Chandlers Battalion Clanton's Brigade Postmark: Montevello Ala Apr 16 To: Mrs. Julia Ann Burdett Hoginsville, GA Troup Co. GA In care of Rev. W. W. Prather (May not be correct envelope) Monnavalla, AL Ap 24 1864 Julia My Dear Wife You see we have just returned,some of us, after a long and weresom march I am here tired, weared, black raged, and dirty and no time and no soap to wash and laundry bath I tried to get furlow but failed I have not been here more than two hours when the General comes I will try again, if I fail. I received a letter from you today as soon as I got here although it was directed to Gadsden I got one from sister Nancy Beck also and I was glad to hear from you all I have been sick for a few days but I am well at this time. It was having so much hard duty to do that caused it You dont know how much good it does me to hear from you and to hear some of the children was going to school. Julia I wish I could tell you what I have seen I have been in one fight but I did not get hurt. We made the yanks . We made the yanks skidadle like dogs. We tried them several times after that and they always ran in to Decatur behine their brestworks though we got 7 of them killed one wounded and if I could see you I could tell you more. We are now ordered to Dalton, GA. I do not know when we will start through I hope you writ me as soon as you get this and tell me if the children have gron any. Kiss them all for me. Nothing more but your dear husband W. H. Burdett Lime Hill " " Ala May 2 1864 My dear wife I write to you a few lines to let you no where I am at this time. I have jest got off of my horse and I am tired and waried and my Josie is. Times I doo not kno where we will go from hear. Some say we will go to Dalton, GA and some say we will go back to Florida. There is no telling where. I tried to get furlow the other day to come home but I failed I do not see what tha keep me hears for for we is doing nothing and it lokes like now is the time to give furlows. But tha wont do it. I dont no what tha sees an I rec od yawn letter yesterday waz glad to her from you My leg haz got well. You said you wanted to no what was the matter with it Well I dont no waz the matter with it. I broke out from my axle to nearly to my knee the 1st of Jan and it staid sore until a week ago. It got well and I never suffered so much in my lief time az did with it, but it iz well now or nerley so. I have sope enough to do me until July or Aug but my shoez is worn out. My shirtz is good yeat. My pants is worn out. I have non but what I have on & I have no hat. My drewz is good I have enough of them My quilt & blanket is good I need nothing but pantz and shoez and hat I have never draw any money yet and I will. Now the goveroment owz me $200 at this time. I hope this war will stop so we can all come home and go to work When you write to me diret your letterz to Montovello, AL & they will come stratz to me I have got all you have wrote to me. Tell Jimmy to write me a good letter. I may come sometim. Nothing more at this time. Yours until death W. H. Burdett Montevallo Ala June 10 1864 My Dear wife and children I arrived here last Tuesday at 2 o'clock I had to stay in Montgomery all day and then Monday night. I was taken sick again and have been sick ever since so that I have not bin able to write until now. I am some better now. I was my bowels was running off blood. The Dr. talked about sending me back and all blames me for coming but I dont think they will send me back We have marching orders at this time but I dont no when we will go. There was one thing that I forgot to bring and that was a peice of soap It has been raining every day in site of this place or hear one You might write to me as soon as you git and let hear how you got home I am uneasy.. Oh that this war would end and let us all go home and get together and live as we have lived Writ to me as soon as you git this Your husband and father W. H. Burdette Envelope: Postmarked Pollard, Ala Dec 15 1863 From Corp W. H. Burdette of Capt. T. J. Grimes Company Clantons Brigade Pollard, Ala. Letter must be in incorrect envelope Envelope: Blue Mt. Ala due 10c postage To: Mrs. J. A. Burdett Hoginsville Troup Co. GA From: Corp W H Burdett of Clanton's Brigade 8th Ala Calvary Ala July the 19th 1864 Camp near Blue Montain My Dear Wife Once more I writ you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living but I have nothing of importance to write to you but thought that I would writ all that I could I want you to writ to me for I want to hear from you as I never have heard from you since I left you. I recon you have herd of the fight that we had on the 14 at Greens Point on Cusy (Coosa) River We lost one manİCapt MooreİMr Hadsom and Charley Narner was both wounded and gone home They was both wounded in the leg The other regment lost some 8 or 9 killed and some 15 taken prisoner. The Yankees got the best of it and then went on to Talledigga and burned the depot and then went on toward Montgomery General Clanton is after them. I do not know why as he has not got men enough to whip them for there is over 7000 of them. I am not with ClantonİİI was left with some others to take care of camp. It is thought by some that we will go to West Point and then up to Jonson (?) but I hope they will be stopped before they get ahead They tried to burn the RR bridge across the Coosy River but Clanton was to close on them that they didnt have time to do it. I never have drew any money yet and I have not got one cent at this time. I want you to writ to me and tell me all you can. How Richard is got and whether you Pap got him home or not. Crops up here is very good but they is needing rain. Oh that I could see you all at this time. I am in tolable good health. Mrs Grigans sends you her respects. Yours until death W H Burdett Envelope from Corp WH Burdett Cap Armes Commey Clanton's Brigade Rev W W Prather Hogansville, GA Troup Co. Postmark: Pollard, AL January 16, 1865 Pollard, AL My Dear wife and children it is through the mercy of Almighty God that I am permitted to drop you a few lines once more to let you no whar I am and how I am. I am not very well at this time I have got a sevear pain in my side I am suffering very mutch. Julia I have never wanted to see you all so bad and I have tride to get a furlough and failed but they must give my furlow before long they say they will pay us this week and if they doo I intend to come home then. I am nearly naked. I have nothing new to write. You have heard how the Yankees don Pollard and how they burned down it. I got a letter from you Pap the other day dated the 6th of the month. He was at Letohatchee when he wrote it I was glad to get it. We had an aufull time coming from North Ala to Pollard when we came through. I am very tiredof this war-- We don't get enough to eat, no cloths--no money I not got a letter from you sence the first of November and I begin to want to hear from you all. This 3 letters I have writtn to you since I hear from you. If I dont get to come home this month I would be glad if you would make me som clothes. If you write and tell me all you can whether the people are whiped in Georgia or not and tell all the Yankees in GA--we lost three of our men in the Battle of Pollard and when I see you I can tell you all about it If you send me any clothes send them express and be very particular how you send them. Oh Julia write to me and tell the children to write they can. I dont no that I have any more at this time Good bye for this time W H Burdett Loundes Co, AL May 15, 1864 Mrs Burdett Your letter came to hand last night and I hasten to answer it. I have not heard from Mr. Jordan since you were out here, but I saw Judy Graham for you and she requested me to write you that you could draw 60 dollars of the old money or 20 bushels of corn if you would furnish the sacks and I wrote you to that affect several days? I do not know whether you could get the corn shipped through or not as the Rail Roads are off and on hauling troops. Your friend Thos E. Branscomb Write me which you prefer and send me your fathers name as I have forgotten it.