Civil War Letter, Gilbert Bass to Elizabeth Groves Bass 
Vernon Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Jane Parker McManus
Date: July 22, 2012

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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).]

April 30 1862
My Dear Beloved wife, with trembling heat [heart] and hands I seat my 
self to compos those fiew lines that I misery exespect to let you know 
that I am well to day. Hopeing that those fiew lines may reach you and 
my dear little children injoying good health and allso the rest of the 
familey. I have nothing to write to you onley distress. The Yankeys has 
taken the city tho I reckon that you have heard it. I am in a hurry now 
so that I have not got time to write to you. I have to leave to morrow 
for Jackson. Whether I am agoing to fight or not I won’t know. I did 
onley think that I would be at home in a short time but I have lost all 
hope now. I don’t know whether I shall even see you face againe that has 
been so dear to me. If it is gods will that I never do see you again 
don’t forget what you promist me. Those fiew lines that write to you 
this eavning may be the last but I trust the lord it may not be such 
atime I nevery expect to see you when I left you. You kneed not to write 
to me till you get another letter from me. I will write as soon as soon 
as I get to where every I am going to. Take good care of my dear little 
children and your self allso that you keep your health. You must excuse 
my short letter. Gave my respects to the familey and except [accept] the 
same your self. My Dear when this you see remember me tho many miles 
apart we be. Nothing More onley your tru husband till death from Gilbert 
Bass to his god bless wife Elizabeth Bass.

I received the trade of hair that you sent me and glad I was to see 
apice of the hair that came of the head of the one that I love so dar.  
So goodby.

June 8 1862
My Dear wife after my respects to you it is with pleasure that I seat my 
self to write those fiew lines that I don’t know that I shall every have 
the chance of writing you any more. god knows the chance for me. I am 
not well nor I don’t know that I shall every be well any more. There is 
the rise of 11 hundred men in this Regiment and nevery over two hundred 
for duty and I have not bin on drill in two weaks. But god bless you I 
hope that those fiew words that leaves my weeke hand this eavning may 
reach you and my dear little children well and also the rest of the 
familey. I can say to you that there has bin abig fight at Richman 
Verginna and we whipped them but there was another fight at Minpfries 
and the yankes whipped our men and taken posseshion of it and also sunk 
four of our gunboats and they have got posseshion of fort hillo and 
Corrinth and we are looking for them hear now. There are four gun boats 
lying hear in sight of us and bin more but they have left but for what 
we don’t know. It may be for trups we don’t know. I think that we will 
keep them of at bay tim our battroes [batteries] or strong and our land 
fource is toreble strong. We have about eight thousand able men hear. I 
think My Dear wife this is the fourth letter that I have written to you 
and have not received aword from you. If you don’t want to write to me 
get someone to write to me and then I will quit writeing to you but I 
hope that is not the case. This day three months ago you [were] washing 
my clothes for me to start and I did not think that I would be gon that 
long. It seams to me like it has bin twelve months. Tell mary [Groves 
Sweat] that len [Leonard Sweat] has bin sick two months and says that he 
can [can’t] sit up to write to her but she must write to him. My dear 
wife I [don’t] know whether you can read this or not. You catch one ole 
goose and cut two of her guiles for toth pichess [tooth picks] for I 
can’t get them hear and you must send them shure don’t forget it. That 
is all unless I was with you then I could tell you what I wanted. Gave 
my respects to the familey. Nothing More onley yours tru husband till 
death.

Gilbert Bass