Military & Photos/Documents: Civil War letter from Ezekiel W.
Houston; Jackson Par., Louisiana
Submitter: Sherri Schrat
Date: 24 Aug 2006

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Ezekiel Washington Houston Letter to (His Father) Edward "Ned"
Houston in Arcadia, Bienville Parish, LA From Camp Brown
(Union City), Tennessee

August 28th, 1861 [Wednesday] State of Tennessee

Dear Father I seat myself this eavening [evening] to drop you
a fiew [few] lines to let you no [know] that I am well at this
time hoping that these fiew [few] lines may reach you enjoying
the same blessing. I have nothing of importance to rite
[write] only we are here and are giting [getting]
____________. Jasper Holland [Jasper J. Holland] is taking the
measles and Fillingham [Benjamin Fillingham] and several of
the boys but none of them is bad off. Jay [unknown] is getting
well of them. We have a fine place here and I am better
setisfied [satisfied] than I was at camp Moar [Camp Moore] if
James T. [James T. Houston] was with me. I miss him verry
[very] much. We left him in camp Moar [Camp Moore] with John
Glore [John E. Gloer], John Mask [John T. Mask] and several of
the boys [who treated] him and me kindly and John Tilor [John
T. Tyler]. We stayed in camp Moar [Camp Moore] 4 weaks [weeks]
to a day. We left there Saturday morning [August 24, 1861] and
landed here Monday morning [August 26, 1861]. We didn't have
much to eat on the way but when we got here we got some corn
meal and had some of the best bread I ever eat [ate]. We had
cornbread and butter for diner [dinner] today. It was the best
meal that I have eat [eaten] since I left home. This is a fine
place her [here]. The popler [poplar trees] is from 3 to 5 and
6 feet through. We are going to have catierages [cartridges]
to nite [tonight] for the first time. I am in sort of a hurry
that I can't rite [write] no more. We must go on drill now.
You must rite [write] to me so that I may no [know] how you
are giting [getting] along. I haven't hered [heard] from
[Jimtom] since I left him but he told me to take cear [care]
of myself and if I get sick he would come to me. Tell the boys
to rite [write] to me. I will send our sentiments in print and
it will not take up so mutch [much] room. So nothing more at
present. I remain you effectianate [affectionate] son, Ezekiel
W. Houston to E. Houston Direct your letter to Union sitty
[City], Camp Brown cear [care] of Captain Standifer, Obine
[Obion] County.

______________________________________________________________

Jim Tom was a nick name for his older brother James Thomas
Houston, his older brother. I was unable to find to locate any
record of Jasper Holland after the war, However his brother
married a daughter of James Lafayette Houston, brother of
Ezekiel's father Edward.

James Thomas Houston and James Lafayette Houston are buried at
Arcadia Cemetery. I have been unable to locate Edward &
Winniford Wimberly Houston's graves yet. I know thye are in
Bienville Parish somewhere - I would love to find them if any
one knows where they might be.

Submitter's Note: Notice besides the poem in Blue ink. Ezekiel
evidently kept running out of ink and borrowing from the other
men. If you look at the letter its in different colors of ink.