The following letter was written by Freeman Walker (1825-1864) who enlisted as a private in Co. K, 27th Georgia Infantry in March 1862. After he was promoted to sergeant, he was taken a prisoner in the fighting at South Mountain on 14 September 1862 and confined at Fort Delaware until 10 November 1862 when he was exchanged at Aiken’s Landing, Virginia. After returning to the regiment he was elected 2nd Lieutenant on 16 March 1863. In March 1864 he was reported as slightly wounded by a gunshot wound to his right leg. He died on 27 June 1864.

I’m reasonably confident that Freeman Walker was John Freeman Walker (b. 1825), the son of Johnson Walker (1794-1830) and Sarah Swindall (1797-1854) of Talbot county, Georgia. He had been married to Julia Ann Dixon (1825-1852) but she died in 1852, leaving him a widower with two children.

Freeman addressed his letter to Fannie. I suspect she was his older sister, Frances (“Fannie”) Walker, born 1817, and the wife of Green J. Miller.

Transcription

James Island [South Carolina]
December 16th 1863

Dear Fannie,

As I have just returned from Fort Sumter you can account for my long silence. I started to the fort in a day or two after I wrote and remained fifteen days. I stayed three days over the usual time in consequence of high winds and rough seas, the relief boats not being able to reach the fort.

I had the good fortune to escape unhurt except a lick on the head from a brickbat which was knocked off the top of the wall by a 200 pound parrot shell. I was walking on the outside of the wall and come very near being covered up with brick. There were several killed and wounded while I was there and the day after I was relieved, the Magazine exploded killing ten and wounding thirty. Dr. [J. T.] Ford, who used to practice medicine at Pleasant Hill was killed. His body was so blackened and burnt that it was past recognition. Several of our regiment were wounded, but [only] one killed—Dr. Ford. Ab[ner] and Henry Bedell lost their blankets by the fire. They both escaped without injury. The fort is not materially injured and will soon be repaired. ¹

There is nothing interest in camp. It is the impression that the siege will be raised by the enemy as they have despaired of taking Charleston.

I lost my valise coming on with my drawers and socks. I wish you would send me some of the above articles by Marion Smith when he comes back. A knife and fork also as they were in the valise and lost.

Tell the judge I will write him in a day or two as Col. Zachy returned today. My love to all. Yours, — Freeman Walker

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¹ In the history of the fort, it is stated that for an “unknown reason, “the small-arms magazine exploded in the officers’ quarters of a three-story building extending the entire length of the gorge on December 11, 1863, killing 11 and wounding 41 Confederates. The explosion also tilted the arch over the magazine’s entrance.” The explosion occurred at 9:30 a.m. on 11 December 1863; the cause of the explosion known only to those who perished in it. The enemy had not fired a shot for several days.