Civil War Letter, Gilbert Bass to Elizabeth Groves Bass Vernon Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane Parker McManus Date: July 22, 2012 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Civil War - Letter written from Gilbert Bass to his wife, Elizabeth Groves Bass - The letters of Gilbert Bass are printed as he wrote them; no attempt has been made to correct the spelling. Gilbert spelled phonetically as did most people during this era, possibly indicating a limited education. Many difficult words were correct while simple words were not. [Gilbert Bass was the son of Drewry Bass and Susannah Bell. He was born ca 1836 in St. Landry Parish LA. He married Elizabeth Groves, daughter of James Groves Jr. and Nancy Perkins, ca 1856, and two daughters were born. Gilbert served with the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He joined at Camp Moore LA and was sent to Vicksburg MS. Gilbert was killed in Vicksburg and is probably buried there is mass burials. He wrote many letters describing the war to his wife and father-in-law, and his sisters-in law. His daughters were Nancy (1858) and Annie E. Bass (1860).] Vicksburg Mississippi Febuary My Dear beloved wife. It is with the greatest of pleasure that I this eavning seat my self to let you no that I received the letter that you sent by Mr. Watson. And I was glad to hear that you were well but it grave [grieved] me to hear that little Nan were sick. I could keep from crying when I red the letter nor I could not sleap none that night for I fear that shee will die from what you wrote and what mr. Watson tole me. I don’t exespect to ever see her any more it almost kills me to think that I can’t come home to see her but I hope that god will spair her life till I get back home. Any how god nows I can’t tell you how bad that I want to see you and them two little children. If I could get to see you and them I would bee willing to dy ibelieve. I am in hopes that when this letter gets [to] you that it may find poor little Nan well you also the rest of the familey. I am in good health at this time but I don’t no how long that I shall stay so if my eyes were good I would [be] in as good health as I ever were. But I can’t see to read or write unless I have on spectiles with the exeseptions of that I am in fine health. But they [eyes] pain me some times so bad that I can’t rest at nite. They have bin failing me for the last three months and they are at this time very sore. I fear that I shall loose my eye sight when ever this fight comes of and the yankes is all gone you may look for me for I am coming home to see you if I have mony enough to pay my way home. I think that I can get afurlough. The yankyes are all gone from hear. If I can’t get afurlough I will higher [hire] some one to drive my wagon till I can come home to see you an then I don’t care how long they stay hear for my part if I could get to see you and my dear little children once more in life. You also wrote to me that you would send me some shirts and pants. You nead not to send me but one shirt for I have got two good shirts but that is for pants I have not got one pair of pants that is worth any thing. I have got the shirt that you sent me and I also bought the one that mary [Mary Groves Sweat] sent to len [Leonard C. Sweat]. They were fine shirts as I ever seen any where my Dear wife. If I can’t get to come home I want you and mary to come over hear in the somer if you can get any one to come with you. For you don’t know how bad I want to see you. I will write to you when the yankyes are all gone. You tell your papy (James Groves Jr.) that he might come and see us for it won’t cost him much and you could come with him. I would bee the gladest in the world to see him. You wrote to me that wales [William Wales] and John Bass had gone to Mexico. Did they run away from the canscript law or what. You never rote. You also sed that there were union Companys there. You can tell them that the ware will end some day and then we will clean them out where ever we find them. We have plenty of men in our company to kill the last man of them and leave them laying in the woods like dogs. I can’t tell you anything about the ware for I reckon that you no more than I can tell you about it. Onley we are laying hear in town where we can see eighty three transports and them loaded with men and they have also several gunboats in the same fleat. It looks scary to look at them old gunboats. They have landed there men on that side of the river or that is poshen [position] of there men. They have bin savaing [?] the river for the last two days but for what purpose I don’t know. But it is the calculation that they aim to plant batterys opsit our batterys to try to drive our men away from them so that they can p0ass down with there transports to land trops above porte Hudson [Port Hudson]. If they can get there men down the river they will take porte Hudson very easy for it is not fortfide above and they will gain an take the batreys and all the men prisinors and I think thay then will try then to go up red river for they no that it is imposiable for them to take Vicksburg. The yankeys think that this place is apurfect states pen and they don’t miss it for we will kill the last one of them if our men don’t all die before they come. We have mighty bad management hear we have not got any doctors that is fit to doctor adog. They let nearly every man that is taken sick die for they don’t know what to do for them no more than I do. We have agrate many cases of neumoney [pneumonia] hear at this time is the most disease that we have in camps. Since I have bin writeing this little letter there were two yankys came to the river and called for aboat and there was askift sent over after them. They had deserted from there regiment and there was also one of there boats that past down yesterday morning with out being hurt. The ole gun boat was very bold. She never figherd agun and past on down the river. But I don’t know what she aims to do. I think that she aims to destroy all the skifts and flats that she can fine to prevent any one from crossing the river. You must write to me soon as you get this letter and letme no how Nan is for I am ancious to no how she is and the rest of the family also. I shall have to close my letter for the want to words. You must excuse bade writing and mistakes for I am pestered and I can’t see to write any better. Gave my respects to the family and receive them you self. So Nothing More yours loving Husband Gilbert Bass to his loving wife Elisabeth Bass Kiss the two children for me and kiss those lines for me for that is all the way that I can kiss you. So good by.