The following letters were written by James William Craig (1825-1863), a native of New Brunswick, Canada, who emigrated to Mars Hill, Aroostook county, Maine in the late 1840s with his wife Nancy (Palmer) Craig (1827-1865). In the 1860 US Census, the couple were enumerated with their children in the same household as Chase Gilman.

According to muster rolls, James enlisted on 14 December 1861 to served in Co. E, 15th Maine Infantry. He died at the Barracks General Hospital in New Orleans on 16 December 1863 after two years of service. The surgeon attributed his death to chronic diarrhea.

Copies of the letters are being sent to me by Bryan White and I will add more of them as he sends them to me.

See also—1863: Isaac Dyer to Lydia (Emery) Dyer. Isaac Dyer was theColonel of the 15th Maine Infantry.

Letter 1

Camp Parapet
Carrollton, Louisiana
August the 17th 1862

Dear Wife and Children,

I now take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you all the same. I am better now than I have been before since I was first taken sick. I feel thankful to the Lord that I am well again and I hope and trust that He will continue my health and return me safe home again to my family. I wrote a letter to you and one to Elizabeth not long ago. I hope you have got them. And I want you to write to me oftener than you have been in the habit of writing. Try and send me a letter once a fortnight between you and the Children.

Last winter I bought a coat and sent it home in Samual Gordon’s chest and he has died a few days ago and the coat is at his Mother’s 5 miles from Fort Fairfield on the road to Presque Isle at the foot of the Whitney Hill and I want you to send up there and get it. It is a fine broadcloth coat labeled J W. Craig, Mars Hill. It is likely that Mrs. Gordon will let you have it if she has not already sent it to you. Let me know the next time you write after you get this letter whether you have got it or not.

Let me know the next time you write what the  people seem to think of the war and the drafting. For my part, I do not have any idea when it will be over. We are same expecting an attack here before long. We have been furnished with new guns—the Enfield rifles. They are a handsomer gun than the ones we had before. They was the Austrian rifle.

I feel a great deal better contented than I did before I got well and I feel thankful that I am well again. And I feel thankful too that God has kept me out of all vile sins and thanks be to his name I do not hanker after any of the lusts of the world and I hope that I will be kept in God’s care and be prepared for death—let it come when it will. I hope these few lines will find you all well and hearty as I am at present. My dear wife and children, Oh may the Lord bless and protect you. I hope and trust in God that we will live to see each other and be a comfort to each other in life yet through the great mercies of our Redeemer.

I have not room to write more at present so goodbye dear wife and children for this time. God bless you. — James W. Craig

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