CONFEDERATE LETTERS RELATED TO WINN & GRANT PARISHES Contributed by Greggory E. Davies 120 Ted Price Lane Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Columbia, Ky. Jan. 23, 1862 Mrs. M. A. Dunn I received your letter of the 4th inst to-day. I had almost concluded that you had abandoned the idea of keeping up correspondence with me. I am well the health of the company is not very good, since this time yesterday five or six have been attacked with pheumonia this we attribute to the cold weather and the exposure that a soldier has to undergo. We have had four weeks very disagreeable weather. The river is rising at this place very fast the old settlers say judging from the current of the river that they are fearful we will have an overflow. Times are quiet at this place though great excitement prevails through the country east of this on account the advance of the enemy from Cairo and Paducuh towards the Rail Roads in the Southern part of this State the supposition is that they are trying to cut off communication between this place and south-eastern States also between Memphis this place and Bowlingreen, but we are thinking they will have a happy time doing all this. The fifers and drummers are plalying Hark! from the tomb and for the Regiment to convene for preaching and I must stop writing and go. Parson Clamppet of Bienville Parish is our chaplain and is going to preach to-day. Preaching is over and we had quite an interesting sermon, his text can be found in the 18th verse of the 18th chapter of St. John. From reading of your letter I judge you had an interesting time Christmas-- well as I am not there to realize any of the pleasure I cannot say one word encouraging the like but will have to be contented with the toils and hardships of a camp life a few more months and then we will return and join you all in your sport. I expect you will be having fish-frys on the Nantachu [Nantachie] about that time. Mrs. Dunn tell Mr. Dunn I am surprised at his answering my letter as he was one of the first I wrote to after getting to camp from Montgomery. I have not received the first scratch of the pen from him except a little postscript he added to Mr. Craig's letter but I don't consider that any letter. Tell him if he don't answer this letter I will blot him from my list of correspondence. I must close as my hand is cold I can scarcely write. Yours & etc. H. V. McCain Montgomery La. Jany 7th 1863*************************** C. C. Dunn Dear Sir: I have received several letters from you at different times since you joined the Army and have written to you several times. You have expressed some surprise in not receiving the letters from me oftener. Now I must say in reply there is a good deal here for me to attend to and my time is pretty well taken up in the attention I have to give in the business, in making settlements, buying a little cotton, attending to the Post Office etc., besides I have no news to communicate. All of these things taken in connection I consider a reasonable excuse for not writing but seldom, and another thing, Melissa can tell you all that is going on here as she writes often. I heard of the fighting recently at Vicksburg and of the loss of ten killed out of the 27th Regiment and fear that some of our boys are among the killed but I hope not. I hope you were not exposed to the bullets, you being connected with the Post Department. I am very anxious to learn of more of the casualties of the 27th and other particulars of the fight and to hear from you. All of your things Melissa packed in a box and they go forward by Botelly negro in the care of Mr. McCain. I have got meat for your family, Molasses, Corn, etc., they will be as well provided for as myself. I will have the patches garden ploughed in time etc, etc., and all their men supplied as far as the country will afford. Be in no fear about them but take care of yourself. I hope the War will soon close and you all come home. Once in haste as I must write a few lines to Van, let me hear from you frequently. Truly yours, A. Townsend Note: at bottom of this letter are notes apparently added at some later time by Dr. Milton Dunn, as follows: 27th Louisiana Infantry lost sixty killed in one day at Vicksburg.**************** This letter from: Mr. A. Townsend who married my aunt Nancy Cole. He was a northern man and merchant at Vienna, Jackson Parish and at Montgomery. My Mother owned an interest in this business which passed to my father at her death. Montgomery La March 8th 1863 Dearest: I again write you a few lines to let you know how we are all getting along, we are all well but johny he had fever all night last and to-day, bue he is up I think it is cold and he will be well in a few days. Dearest I hardly know what to write I have not heard from you since the 31se of Jan. oh you have no idea how uneasy I feel it makes me so miserable to know that you are exposed to so many dangers and I can't hear from you. I don't know how I am to stand this dreadful suspense oh if I could hear from you often it would be some relief to me oh this cruel War it is bringing distress and trouble on us all they have now called on all from 17 to 50 years of age and are going to force them I don't see what will become of the country people it is dreadful to think of. I am sitting out on the galery writing watching for a boat I heard that there was a man come in town a few minutes ago to go to Vicksburg on the first boat and it is nearly night and I am so afraid it will come before I get done I can hardly write and I want to send it for I don't know when I will have a chance to send another person may go there but I will not know it as I never see any person. Dearest I have heard that the soldiers there have nothing to eat but molasses and bread oh I wish I could send you some meat it distressed me to know that you have to fare so badly I do hope that you still keep your position. Dearest I am afraid that you need clothing if you can buy it don't mine the prices for it is difficult to get it here and no way to send it, keep all your money don't send any home I do hope and trust that you will get to come home soon. I am so anxious to see you. Mr. Tucker died to-day there is no news here that I can write I have been working in our garden I have planted all my seeds but they have not come up yet. I bedded one bushel and a half potatoes like you did last year our potatoes kept well. I had more than anybody else in town. Watson has just passed here and told me that Moore was down there waithing for a boat and had been all day and him nor Alfred never told me anything about it so I could write to you or send you anything it seems that they don't think of anyone but themselves it is getting dark and I will have to quit and send my letter down for fear there will come a boat and I will not get to send it. Dearest I will write to you as often as I can you must be sure and write to me often for oh you have no idea how I want to hear from you. Dearest our babe is sopretty and smart I do wish you could it every one that sees him says he is the prettiest child they ever saw he weighs 20 lbs. and John 40p I had them weighed last week you have no idea how they have grown oh I must quit May God bless and protect my dear Yours Melissa Note: at the bottom of this letter Dr. Milton Dunn states "Letter from my mother Melissa A. Cole Dunn to my father C. C. Dunn.) (The above letters were the Melrose Collection at the Northwestern State University, Watson Memorial Library, Cammie G. Henry Archives, Natchitoches, LA. Mr. H. V. McCain was a leader in south Winn Parish and a Confederate hero of the War For Southern Independence. Mr. McCain is buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery, Wheeling, Winn Parish, LA. Dr. Milton Dunn who supplied these letters to the Melrose Collection was a recognized historian in the Winn-Grant-Natchitoches Parish areas. Submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Louisiana.)