1863 Letter from J. A. Heflin to Aunt (Heflin) Gay, Randolph, Alabama =========================================================== USGENWEB 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 Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Penny Dodd http://home.flash.net/~pdodd/index.htm =========================================================== Civil War Letter printed from Penny's Southern Diggins' [This letter is transcribed exactly as it is, no errors or omissions of punctuation were corrected.] _________________________________________________________________ Camp 25 Ala Regt Near Chattanooga Tenn August 15th 1863 Dear Aunt You have no doubt when this reaches you had the pleasure of greeting your long looked for friend your dearest friend on earth; I mean Harmon. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Atlanta a few days ago while on his way from Yankeedom. The first time I have seen him since the Sale and the first time I knew what regiment he belonged to. I hope he arrived home safely and will be allowed the privilege of remaining awhile with you as I know it will be a great satisfaction to you and him both. He gave me your post office and requested me to write to you which I will take a pleasure in doing, and would have written long ago had I known where to direct my letters but I did not know where you lived as I had heard you had moved but did not know to what portion of the country. I am enjoying tolerable good health now and am stationed near Chattanooga Tenn. I belong to Capt. Francis M. Handley's company now (25 Ala) having received a position as Lieutenant in that company. I am very well satisfied, but as to that I am easily satisfied anywhere in the service as I can make my home anywhere that anyone else can. Aunt I presume you have heard of my late misfortune that of losing my Mother. I wrote to Uncle Wilson and Grandma about it and suppose they have told you of it before this. Yes Aunt I have lost my dearest and best friend but have consigned myself to the will of Providence and think that it is all for the best as I know she sleeps in glory. Aunt I will be pleased to hear from you at any time and will be glad to keep up correspondence with you. Direct your letters to J. A. Heflin Co "F" 25 Ala near Chattanooga Tenn. And I will be sure to get them. Give my respects to all the relatives and friends of mine that inquire for me. Give my best love to Grandma and tell her I will be glad to hear from her and Aunt Samantha too. Well I have written all that I can for this time. Write to me soon. Remember me to Harmon and accept the love of Your Nephew J. A. Heflin Wedowee, Ala *************************** This letter was transcribed by Penny Gay Dodd and is now in the possession of W. C. Gay. Nowhere in letter does the writer actually name the "Aunt" but he does mention Aunt Saphronia and Uncle Wilson and Aunt's dearest friend Harmon. Deductive reasoning leads me to assume this letter was written to Sarah A. (Heflin) Gay, wife of Harmon Reynolds Gay. J. A. Heflin was the only son of James Watson Heflin (who died less than a year after his son was born). James Watson was a son of Wyatt H. Heflin and Sarah A. Stell.