The following letter was written by Joseph Oliver Davis (1841-1891) of Chatham county, Georgia, who enlisted in Co. B (“Oglethorpe Light Infantry”), 8th Georgia Volunteer Infantry in August 1861. Muster Rolls inform us that he was elected to sergeant on the 23rd April 1864, some five weeks after this letter was written from a hospital in Liberty, Virginia. He appears to have returned to his regiment in time for the spring campaign of 1864 because he was admitted to the Jackson Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, on 9 May with a slight Minié ball wound to his left hand received on 6 May 1864 in the Wilderness. He was later wounded severely by a Minié ball to his right arm and right side on 30 September 1864 in the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm. He was said to be among the 139 enlisted men left in the 8th Georgia who surrendered at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.

Joseph was the son of John Edward Davis (1805-1883) and Elizabeth Amanda Schaffer (1819-1854) of Savannah, Chatham county, Georgia. In 1877, long after the war, Joseph married Elmira Isabel Futch. The couple lie side by side in Taylors Creek Cemetery in Liberty county, Georgia. The inscription on his headstone states: “We Miss Thee From Our Home Dear Father, We Miss The From Thy Place, A Shadow O’er of Life Is Cast, We Miss The Sunshine Of Thy Face, We Miss Thy Kind & Willing Hand, Thy Fond & Earnest Care, Our Home Is Dark Without Thee, We Miss Thee Everywhere. In Memoriam, Joseph O. Davis, Born March 30, 1841, Died Sept. 26, 1891. A Kind Husband, A Devoted Father, A True Friend & A Useful & Respected Citizen. Death Claimed Him And Our Hearts Are Sad.”

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

Liberty [Virginia]
March 15th 1864

My dear Cousin,

Your very interesting letter of 24th February was welcomed by me yesterday which I hasten to answer though there is no news whatever to write you. I am at a hospital at this place on account of chills which seem to bother me a great deal and I know they can’t kill anybody so I will let them rip. I heard that Mr. Champion had gone in since with the Chatham Artillery and had already gone to Florida with them. ¹ How do they like it down there—though I suppose it is very pleasant there in the winter. I have heard from Henry but once since he was unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of the Yanks, but I hope he is doing well as the refugees tell me that most of the citizens in Knoxville are loyal to the South. I have made up my mind never to take a prisoner as long as I have a gun and bayonet in my hands.

I am very glad to hear that Cousin Georgia has recovered and hope the rest are all well. I suppose there was great excitement about the money in Savannah as there was in these parts, some refusing to take notes of any size but it suited us very well for if I wanted to buy anything and they would not chance the bills, I took what I wanted and kept the money though I thought it my duty to do so for it was the money that the C. S. paid us for service.

I think the spring campaign will open in a month or so and then I will draw a furlough on a plantation but as I don’t want to leave right away, would prefer a furlough. Have you made up your mind to be a farmer or have you given up the idea. I shall bring this foolishness to a close as it is bed time. With love to all, I am affectionately your cousin, — Joseph Davis

Co. B, 8th Georgia Regiment, Anderson’s Brigade, Buckner’s Division, Longstreet’s Corps, Greenville, Tennessee

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¹ The Chatham Light Artillery was formed in Savannah in the spring of 1862. In March 1864, the unit joined Colquitt’s Brigade to go to Florida to counter the Union invasion there and they played a prominent role in the Battle of Olustee on 20 February 1864.