CORRESPONDENCE:  John Thomas Rairdon to Harriett Caldwell, 1863

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Transcribed by:  Barbara Jerabeek (bajerabek@msn.com)
Submitted:       26 June 2003
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This is a letter written from John Thomas RAIRDON to his grandmother, 
Harriett CALDWELL on August 24, 1863.  RAIRDON  was born 30 Dec 1838 in 
Bullitt Co., KY to Jefferson and Fannie Maria (CALDWELL) RAIRDON.  He 
enlisted in the 4th Regiment, Company D of the Kentucky Cavalry 
Volunteers on 24 Sep 1862.  He was captured in Crawfish Springs, GA, 
at the battle of Chickamauga on 21 Sep 1863, and sent to Libby Prison, 
Richmond, VA.  One story says he died there 25 Dec 1863, another, that 
he was transferrred to Andersonville Prison in Georgia.  His family 
never heard from him after he was captured.  Others captured at the same 
time and held in the same prison were told he had died at Libby.  He 
never married.  His parents & family, along with various GOLDSMITHS, 
and MCAHRONS moved to Le Sueur County, Minnesota towards the end of 
the civil war.  John Thomas had very strong opinions about the war.  
I certainly hope this does not offend anyone.  The original is in the 
pension file located  at the National Archives.  His mother, Fannie 
sent all his letters while applying for a pension.  This may be 
included in the ARCHIVES  and in the WILDERNESS ROAD, if desired.


Letter #9 of 10

August 24th 1863
Camp of the 4th KY Cavalry in camp at Maysville, Alabama

My Dear Grammother
it is with the greatest of pleasureI take my set(?) to let you know 
litel (little) John T is as well as ever I was in my life and may the 
lord spar (spare) me thrugh (through) this army and land safe at home.  
These few lines lev? me well and helthy (healthy) and hope these few 
lines will find you all in the same good helth you sed (said) you was 
sorow (sorrow) to her (hear) that I was giting (getting) so far from 
home.  I am glad my self for we have to come some time or another and 
the sooner the beter (better) for to whop (whoop) the rebels. 
  I don’t think it will be long till the war is over and then I will 
come home if the lord will spar me. I receved (received) your kind 
and afectenet (affectionate) leter of 16 it came to hand some to or 
three days ago.  I was sincerely glad to git a leter from you and to 
her you was well and to her all of the folks was well.
     grammother I want you to tell me wher John TULLITSON (sp?) is a 
living sence (since) he maried (married).  tell him I would like to 
se (see) him sence has joined in wed lock and tell him he had beter 
come in the army in sted of maring (marrying).  he woud (would) dun 
(done) sum (some) good for his country if he had come in the army  
 ____ out to grammother you sed you was trying to live a christan 
life and you guess all of the res (rest) was doing the same.  I hop 
(hope) you ar (are) for when we die I hope we all will go to heven 
(heaven) wher we will fast (?) no more.  If I die her in the army I 
expect to go to heven as if I was to die at home.  I woud druther 
die herin the army then to stay at home and be such a courd (coward) as 
sum of them ar.  To die a brave life is worth more to me than any thing 
else. 
     I will close by saying may god be with us all now and wen (when) 
we come to die.  Save us in the cingdom (kingdom) of heven.
     from your most obedent (obedient) gram son sound(?) till Deth 
(death)

                                                                    
John T 
Rairdon
to his grammother Hariet Caldwell
rite (write) soon and often and tell me the news.  tell uncle John’s 
famly I am not a going to rite till they anser (answer) my leter.
John Rairdon