The following letter was written by James Preston Amole (1837-1916) of Rockbridge county, Virginia, who served the Confederacy as a private in Co. I of the 4th Virginia Infantry—part of the Stonewall Brigade. He wrote the letter from Elmira Prison in mid-October 1864 to Mrs. J. Eliza Bestor, a Southern sympathizer residing in Baltimore who had two sons in the Confederate service and provided assistance whenever she could to Confederate soldiers imprisoned in the North.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Prison Camp, Elmira, New York October 14, 1864
Miss Bestor,
I must beg leave to be excused for thus addressing one whom I never saw, nor had the pleasure of forming their acquaintance. But having heard of the acts of kindness, and generosity you have bestowed upon others in administering to their wants under like circumstances with myself, I have availed myself of this plan to make known to you my wants with the hope that I may be the happy recipient of your philanthropy, if it has not already been taxed too heavily. I have been a prisoner for five months and during this time have been destitute of funds; not being so fortunate as some others in having numerous relations and friends in the North to send me such things as I need. Should you see proper, I would be under lasting obligations if you could send me a small sum of money. I have a brother [Thomas Franklin Amole], a prisoner in Baltimore, confined in [ ] Building, Ward G. I am a native of Rockbridge Co., Virginia.
Direct to Prison Camp Barracks No. 3, Ward 44 in care of Maj. Colt, Elmira, N.Y. 1
Your Sincere though unknown friend, — James P. Amole
1 Major Henry V. Colt was the 1st Commandant of Elmira Prison. He held the administrative post from July 1864 through October 1864. He was the brother of the arms manufacturer Samuel Colt.
The following letters were written by Daniel Case, a private in Co. B, 4th Virginia Infantry. According to his muster records, Daniel did not enlist until 15 February 1864—most likely conscripted into the service. He deserted on 8 April 1864 a month before this letter was written and was subsequently arrested and returned to Gordonsville where he was assigned duty, under guard, at the commissary and ordnance stores. There is nothing more in his muster records to indicate whether he served out the remainder of his time with the remnants of the Stonewall Brigade which was only a shadow of its former self by this stage in the war.
Nothing more could be found regarding Daniel and Elizabeth and their “little blue-eyed babe” though his muster records indicate that he “enlisted” at Dublin, Pulaski county, Virginia.
Letter 1
Orange County, Virginia May 1st 1864
Dear wife,
I one more time take the opportunity of writing to you to let you know that I have not forgotten you which leaves me not well. I am better [than] I have been. I have done a great deal of travels and [seen] hard times since I have been here. I hope when these few lines comes to hand, [they] will find you all well and doing well.
I want to see you all. I can’t tell much about the war. There’s no fighting going on. The armies is gathering in here. Longstreet’s army is all here. They seem to think there will be hard fighting soon but I don’t know. I want you to write to me as soon as you get these lines and tell me all the news about times there and tell me whether the home guard and details is doing and what our corn and [ ] is doing and what the people think about the times.
I want you to be getting along about getting it plowed and how much corn you can plant, and how the wheat looks, and cows and hogs looks, and how the corn is holding out. And how much meat you have yet and if Johnny Winn paid you or not. And if you have got the stilling done or not. I want to know whether you got the letter I wrote the 15th of March. I wrote in it for you to get John Kendall to do it and to do your plowing if you can get him. If you can get anyone to plow, you had better tend the corn patch, but do the best you can. You know how to do it as well as I can tell you. I want you to get two bushels of Irish potatoes, red ones, and plant them in the turnip patch.
And write to us soon as you can and tell me if my blue-eyed babe can talk or not. God bless its heart. I want to see it and all the rest. I am in so much trouble, I can’t think of nothing. I will send all 25 cents. It won’t pay here. I will close by saying I remain your affectionate husband to death. — Daniel Case
to Elizabeth Case.
Letter 2
Gordonsville, Virginia May 7, [1864]
Dear Brother,
I seat myself this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am not well, hoping these few lines may find you all well.
The fighting here they commenced the last three days and [there] is fighting yet. We do not know how it is going. They say we are whipping the Yanks with a heavy loss. There is many wounded man here and [we] hve taken a lot of Yanky prisoners and they have taken lots of our men. They are moving the prison and commissary away from Orange Court House.
I want you to see the [ ] of [ ] and tell him he had better not send my [ ] now if he has not started them for [our] regiment is in the fight and it is not where it will be. I will write as soon as I can after the fight is over. Longstreet is killed and [ ] today
to A. R. Shipman.
Dear wife, I think I will be at home one more time. Do the best you can. I want to see you all. I wrote for you to send me some money but you had better not do it till I write again. — Daniel Case
