Perry County AlArchives History.....Letters from Capt. William G. Coleman to Col. John R. Coffee
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Hugh LeBaron hlebaron@ms.metrocast.net January 2004


Captain William G. Coleman served as commander of the Perry County Volunteers 
during the Mexican War and Colonel John R. Coffee was commander of the First 
Regiment of Alabama Volunteers in which the men from Perry County, Alabama 
served as Company C.  The two men lost contact after the Mexican until Colonel 
Coffey wrote to William Coleman in 1884.  The letter to Coleman is lost but his 
reply to Colonel Coffey is presented below.  The two men developed a special 
relationship and respect while serving in Mexico.


Captain William G. Coleman Letter to Colonel John R. Coffey

							Aycock, P. O. Claiborne Parish La.
								June 1884
Col. John R. Coffee, Flackler, Alabama 

Dear Friend and Comrade:

I received your very welcome message on June 2, and I assure you it was as 
astonishing as it was agreeably surprising, for I had "long since mourned your 
death" and proud indeed was I to learn of your prolonged existence, and I am 
sure of your valuable usefulness to your country and friends-in this scroll I 
can only express my feelings toward you as one finding a long lost friend and a 
page will have to suffice for the sudden emotion-and as our shadows lengthen we 
can write often and be closer together by frequent communication.  I will give 
you some of my experiences since the Mexican war.  I returned to my farm in 1947 
and remained in Alabama until 1850, when I purchased land and moved to this 
Parish, North La. where I have resided since. 

This country was comparatively new when I moved here, land was good and 
productive, plenty of game and inviting, and until the War we were doing well, 
successfully planting with a good society built up in 1856 and 1857.  I was 
elected to the legislature with large majority, served that Term out, have 
filled all the positions I would accept until too old-and feeble-Since I had the 
mumps in Mexico I have been afflicted with Hydrocile, and as I get older 
locomotion is more difficult and riding painful.  I have raised 11 grown 
children seven living-all married but one son, all possessed of good sense and 
energy to make a living above want.  My boys entered the army early (except my 
eldest who was clerk of the court and exempted) passed through the terrible 
struggle and God spared them all to get home alive and honorable.  The wreck 
swept all the property we possessed except our homes which we went to work with 
willing hands to make our living-with all our Negro property suddenly freed-in 
their brazen effrontery and stupidity backed up to U. S. muskets and carpet 
baggers over us for a long time.  

I actually got to hating the Government for which we had borne the Stars and 
Stripes on the arid plains of Mexico-and to tell the truth I have but little 
respect for it as administered since the war.

There is five of my old Company live near me moved to this country with me-and 
four more of our old regiment living near by.  They seem to venerate our old 
Campaign and the lengthening of our shadows brings us into closer order.  I 
trust Col. Coffee I have made peace with a merciful God whose goodness you have 
so kindly invited me to.  I joined the Baptist Church in ___ and have been 
constantly striving to be ready for inspection, at Resurrection.  I hope we will 
pass muster on that Great day.

You speak of being fearful of worrying me by the length of your letter-far from 
that.  I could have read a book though written by you-now as we have the road 
blazed out lets keep up the communication.  I frequently refer to my old Diary 
that I kept every day during the 12 months.  I know you would love to read it.  
You speak of what we enjoined on each other at Veny, Ariz.  I remember it well.  
I will never forget either of those days that we were making history and fame 
for an ungrateful country-that leaves us poor old veterans without a mere 
stipendiary to supply the ordinary demands of life.  Now I am done-No. 1-and ask 
you to answer immediately-and then we can go into a communication of detail.  I 
have the good luck and honor of having the company of my careful good wife down 
the declivity of life who with the balance of my family and old soldiers join me 
in love abundant to you and your family.  God bless you. 

							W. G. Coleman

File located at:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/perry/history/letters/colman-1884.txt