The following letter was written by John W. Goss of Stone Mountain, DeKalb county, Georgia, who enlisted in Co. D, 38th Georgia Infantry in September 1861. John was among the wounded in Gordon’s Brigade during the fighting around Winchester, Virginia on June 13-14, 1863. We learn from this letter that he was at home on furlough recovering from his wound. The date he returned to his regiment was not recorded but he was later taken prisoner on 27 November 1863 at Germania Ford and he was sent to Point Lookout in February 1864.

John wrote the letter to Lt. George Riley Wells (1838-1919), of Co. D, 38th Georgia. George enlisted in September 1861 and was wounded in the battle of Second Manassas. He was wounded again in the right wrist at the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse on May 5, 1864. He was captured at the battle of Fishers Hill on September 22, 1864 and sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware, and held there until June 17, 1865.

See also—1863: Willis Virgil Wells to George Riley Wells

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Stone Mountain, Georgia
October 14, 1863

Mr. Lieut. G. R. Wells,

Dear sir, I this evening seat myself to write you a few lines which will inform you that I as to health, I am to inform you that my wounds is not well enough for me to come back to the company yet. So I want you to have my furlough forwarded to headquarters and if you please, send it to e as soon as you can oblige. Yours, — J. W. Goss

[to] G. R. Wells