Dooly County GaArchives History - Letters .....Gamble, Edward CSA Letter to sister Elizabeth Gamble Lewis 1862 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Ward Meadows lmeadows@surfsouth.com July 8, 2004, 10:41 pm Beyond the Letter Home Analysis of an old letter written by a Confederate ancestor caused the writer to wonder what happened to all of the people mentioned in the letter written by her Great Great Grandmother's brother. Edward Gamble's words led to an historical search that told more than what his fading brown script revealed. Goldsboro, N.C. April 20th 1862 Mrs. E. Lewis, My dear Sister I recieved yours kind letter this morning and was glad to heare from you and heare that you and family was well this leaves me in fine health and Spirits I enjoy my Self as well as a feller can I am very much taken with camp life More so than I ever thought I would be It begins to feel like home Camp life is not as bad as some people think it is Some think its death when they start Its tru there is a good eale of sickness in Camp I haven been Sick one day since I come heare but there is Some dies every Day well Sister as for getting in a fight We got orders this evening to be ready To march at a moments warning to Yorktown I think we will get in a Fight in a few days we have to cook Three days rashings I think though We will soon drub the Yankees out And come home or at least I hope so I don't care how Soon we get in to it It got to come So it might as well Come one time as another So I say let it come I am in a mess with Joseph Bullock Allen Barton Mike Dooling and I like them fine And we have the best officers That can be Started John Pail told me this evening that George was going home on a furlough to Spend a few days well Sister I would like to Se you all and Stay a while But I would not come to Stay the Way times is Give my my warmest Respects to Mr. Lewis and Fany And all the family you must look Over my bad writing and Spelling I am yours as before Edward I Gamble Edward I. Gamble was the brother of Elizabeth Gamble Lewis, and George Gamble, mentioned in the above letter. On page 270, entry #613 of the Dooly County, GA census of 1850, Elizabeth Gamble, aged 33, George Gamble, aged 16, and Edward Gamble, aged 10, are listed in the household of their parents, James and Mary Gamble. Other siblings in this listing include Mary A., James E., Frances A., David, and William. Another sister, Sarah Ann Gamble Ward, was married to David T. Ward, also living in Dooly County, as listed on page 279, entry #738 of the same census. References to above-mentioned soldiers are found in Volume IV, Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Georgia 1861-1865, as entries on the Muster Roll of Company C, 45th Regiment GA Volunteer Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia. Allen Barton enlisted as a Private 4 March 1862. He died of disease 28 October 1864. Joseph A. Bullock also enlisted as a private 4 March 1862. He was admitted to Richmond, Virginia's Chimborazo Hospital suffering from pneumonia 2 May 1863. Bullock was transferred to Macon, GA 11 May 1863. No further record of him is listed in the Roster, but Joseph's Combined Military Records indicate his illness and subsequent discharge because of tuberculosis and pneumonia. He died intestate in Dooly County, GA on 25 July 1874, according to the Dooly Probate records of 1874. Joseph is buried beside his parents, Irwin and Ladufsia Pound Bullock, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Americus, GA. Michael Dooling, another of Edward Gamble's friends from home who enlisted as a private on 4 March 1862, earned an appointment as 3d Sergeant in 1862. Dooling was wounded at Wilderness, VA 6 May 1864. He retired by virtue of General Order #34 on 2 November 1864. According to Volume III of the Roster, the George that Edward mentioned to his sister was their brother, who served with CO F, 31st Regt., GA Vol. Infantry, Pulaski County. He attained the rank of 5th Sergeant October 27, 1861, and was appointed 1st Sergeant May 13, 1862. George was wounded at Fredericksburg, VA Dec. 13, 1862. Within a few short months, he faced the Boys in Blue on the bloody battleground hallowed at Gettysburg, PA where he was killed July 1, 1863. Edward Gamble, the author of the letter to his sister, Elizabeth Gamble Lewis, enlisted as a Private with his friends on 4 March 1862. His days of service numbered little more than a month when he wrote Elizabeth that he expected them to be able to "drub the Yankees out And come home." Such was not the case. He may have visited home at some point, but he did not get to stay. He died of smallpox at Camp Gregg, VA. The date of Edward's death was not listed in the Roster. Just one month after Edward wrote to his sister, their brother, David Gamble, enlisted as a private on 19 May 1862, also serving with the Dooly Volunteers. On that same day, David was appointed 4th Corporal. In a subsequent battle, he was wounded in the head, but served until the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, VA on 9 April 1865. David's military service records show that he was born in Screven County, GA on 28 September 1828, and died in Dooly County, GA in 1910. Edward Gamble's letter found its way into the hands of this distant relative (GGG niece) who now knows more about the price that her kinsman and his friends paid on lonely battlefields far from home. Beyond the pain, hunger, suffering, and loneliness, this letter reveals an undaunted spirit that was loyal to the Southern cause. Edward Gamble and his friends are remembered because of his words written on a folded sheet of old paper. Though these brave GA boys are gone, they are not forgotten. Sources Cited Herein. Edward Gamble's letter was transcribed and annotated by his GGG niece, Linda Ward Meadows, who is also the GGG niece of Joseph A. Bullock, mentioned as serving with Edward lmeadows@surfsouth.com File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/dooly/history/letters/ms233gambleed.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb