The author of this letter was previously unidentified but I have been able to attribute it to Charlotte K. (Davis) Barr (1840-1880), the wife of 1st Lt. John W. Barr (1840-1918), 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery (6th USCHA). Before accepting a commission with the regiment, John served in Co. B, 46th Illinois Infantry, working his way up from private of Co. B to 1st Lieutenant of Co. I. Lottie was the daughter of Horatio G. Davis (1796-1849) and Sarah Lord (1802-1841) of Stephenson county, Illinois. Lottie and John were married in Stephenson county in 1861.

She wrote the letter from Natchez in late March 1864 while visiting her husband shortly after assuming his role as an officer in the 5th USC Heavy Artillery. The white officers had been promoted from other units, such as 1st Missouri Light Artillery, where they been NCO’s. Most of the officers had no combat experience but John had previously been commissioned and had seen combat experience in the 46th Illinois. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.

This regiment was first organized from the 2nd Mississippi Heavy Artillery (African Descent) and designated the 5th USC Heavy Artillery on 11 March 1864. Six weeks later, they were re-designated the 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery and served at Nachez. Three or four companies of the 6th USCHA were later assigned to garrison duty at Fort Pillow near Memphis and many members of that regiment were killed in the Fort Pillow Massacre on 12 April 1864.

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Natchez [Mississippi]
March 21st 1864

Dear Brother,

I received your very kind note with much pleasure and was very much pleased to know that you sometimes thought of me. I am very much obliged to you for your kindness with regard to those taxes but I think there must be some mistake as I have paid the taxes for the last three years and have the receipts. I have the receipt for this year with me; the other two are at home. Let me know what year they claim the taxes not to be paid and I will furnish you the receipt and if that does not explain the mistake, I will send you the money.

I arrived here safe after a journey of thirteen days and found John well and very well pleased with his new position. The negroes make fine-looking soldiers and they are very easily disciplined. They have been mustered into the regular army and are now the fifth regiment of United States Artillery.

The weather is very pleasant here—about the same that you have there the first of June. The people here have suffered immensely by this war. They are glad to sell their clothing or anything else to buy food.

Our men have a little skirmish every few days with guerrillas. They come up and fire on our pickets and then run. There is deserters coming in almost every day.

Let me hear from you soon. John send his best wishes. With much love, — Lottie