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 Miss
March 10 1863

My Dear Beloved wife after my respects to you I imbrace the opportunity 
of writeing you afiew lines once more to let you know that I am yet 
alive and well but I think that you think that I am ded. But I am not 
for I have not got aletter from you since ole man Watson came. You kned 
not to say that you write for if you was to write I should get aletter 
once and awhile. I don’t think that you write onley when some bodycomes 
but not to write atole. You no that I am not there to see whether you 
write by mail and you think that I will say well she writes but they 
don’t come. They get mi slayed but I say that you don’t write for the 
rest of the company gets letters.

And if you was to write I would get letter to you wrote to me to send 
you paper and I sent it by John Liles [Lyles] and you yet don’t write.  
You wrote to me when Watson came over that poor little Nan was mighty 
sick and from what Watson tole me I fear that she is ded.Write to me if 
you please if you onley knowed how bad that I want to hear from you and 
then you would write to me immediately. But I am I nhopes and trust to 
god whom I have put my trust in every sense I left you that this letter 
may come safe to your hand and find you and our dear little children 
well is my preys [prayers] to god. But it is sed that preys of the 
wicked balith not but god has hear my preys so far. My dear wife I have 
not got any thing to write to you that is interesting. We are looking 
for afight every day and I don’t care how soon it comes of for my 
patient is nearly worn out and I am nearly starved out for we don’t get 
any thing to eat but bred and molas. We did get some olde beafe that a 
dog wouldn’t eaten but it has played out now. I have set and crid this 
day more than I ever did before for nothing but just to think that I am 
lighed hear and can’t get away. But if I live and stay able to walk I am 
comeing home in the somer or try mighty hard for this day twelve months 
ago is the las time that I seen your face and I think that is long 
enough for anybody to stay away from home. Them that wants to go hom bad 
most all dies but I hope that I will live this infurnel ware out if I do 
I have learned something.

Any one that lives this ware out will have affine edication or I think 
that I will have perty good schooling my self. There is a good deal of 
sickness hear at this time. Good many cases of newsmoney and plenty of 
smallpocks. There is several cases in our company. There is one thing I 
forgot we have taken the men that spiked the cannons at Fort Jackson and 
they were shot aday or two ago. I was there and seen them fall it looked 
mighty bad but I reckon that it was right.

My Dear wife you must be shure to write assoon as you get this letter 
and let me no how you are and how Anna and poor little Nan is for I want 
hear mity bad. Anser this letter and I will write more the next time. I 
shall have to close this time. God bless you and my dear little 
children. so good by.  

Gilbert Bass to his loving wife Elizabeth Bass.