Son of Joel and Susannah Yearout Williams.
He served as Corporal, Co. E, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, during the Civil War.
Enlisted Nov. 5, 1862.
Unconfirmed as a burial. Possibly a cenotaph. Memphis is approx. 390 miles from Knoxville. The most likely burial place would be Memphis National; however there is no record.
He was captured on 24-Sep-1864 in Athens, Alabama. Spenser was taken to Cahaba Prison Camp, located on the banks of the Cahaba and Alabama River. Though conditions at Cahaba were barely livable, they were good in comparison with those at the infamous Andersonville. It was simply a 16,000 foot former cotton warehouse, surrounded by a tall brick wall and held over 5000 prisoners between 1863-1865. Rain sometimes flooded the floors 1-4' deep.
Still, it is said to have been the best run of all Southern prisons. Rough estimates say that each man had only 6 sq. ft. of living space, when regulations required a minimum of 42.
With the approach of the end of the Civil War, the release of some union prisoners was negotiated in exchange for confederate prisoners. These Union soldiers were then placed on the extremely overcrowded steamship, the SULTANA. Just a few miles north of Memphis, the ship exploded, killing about 1700 returning Union Veterans.
Spenser was not among the survivors. He has a marker at the cemetery on grounds at the Williams-Henson Boys Home.
I was fortunate to have located these letters written
by Spenser Harrison Williams. Spelling will remain intact as it was a part of him.
Castle Morgan
C.S.A Prison
Cahaba, Ala. Feb 11/65
Dear mother,
With pleasure I avail the present opportunity of droping you a few lines that you may know that I am yet numbered amoung the living and enjoying a prisners life. I have no news to write you at present owing to circumstances.
You will please sent to Peter Rule that his two sons and Marion Thomas his soninlaws are all well. M.H. Roggers, Alexander McCarnmon, James Franklin, and the boys generaly are all in good helth.
My helth is good, and treatment far better then expected since the day of capture. If you have the opportunity send some Confederate money and it will be happily received. Give my respects to all inquireing friends.
I remain your obedient Son
untill death (may God be with you)
S.H. Williams
Co. E. 3rd Regt.
E. Tenn. Cav.
_______________________________
Exchange camps
Mar 19/65
Dear Mother,
With pleasure I again take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, that you may know I am yet No-among the living, and once moor releaced from an endless foe. 800 of us had the pleasure of landing at these camps on the 16th ins. for exchange. we may be exchanged, and furlowed soon or we may remain here until the 1st of May tho we are where we can be fed and clothed by our Government, And the Sanitary Commission are allready supplying us with all small artikles that we desire, of since we have long since been deprived of.
There is many things i would like to tell you, but time and paper will not admit at present. Our treatment while prisners was as good I expect as the Confedecy could afford, as Cahab prison was sed to be the best prison in the South, Tho we suffered at times from grub.
We were guared principaly by the OLD ISHUE I mean by men from 45 to 75 to a 100 years of age if they had one sound eye, and able to carry there gun and cane, these men comonly had feelings for us, and many of our own sentiment but fourst to do the durt.
There were a few mean debridations committed (illigible), feelings as some of our boys was (illigible) and onr regt so bad that (illigible) one was shot for I might say nothing and died, but Capt. Henderson Com'd the prison immetaetly relieved him from his post and sent him front where he could find armed yanks to contend with. We left the prison on the 6th inst. and left it in a miserable condition as there were heavy rains and the Alabam river had rose until it overflowed the whole town, and was also half leg deep al over he prison and had been for 5 days, it was bad tho amayzing to see the yanks (No 2200) climbing from bunk to bunk and building our fires on skillet les to do our cooking. The wether was very comfortable all winter. There was no snow only at one time and it but little.
One of our greates plagus while thare was small animals some times called Graybacks which created a considerable scratching and clost skirmishing each day to keep them
whiped out. I must soon close. You must delay no time in answering this letter as I have not heard from home since I was captured. Direct your letter to me, company, regt, and to Exchange camps near Vicksburg, Miss.
These few lines leaves me enjoying fine health and hope they may come to hand in due time finding you all enjoying good blessings. May our daily trust and actions be close with God that we may be numbered with the blest. Give my best love and respect to inquireing friends. I remain your obedient son untill death.
S.H. Williams
_____________________________
Parole Camps near
Vicksburg, Miss
Apr 17/65
Dear brother,
With much peasure I availe the opportunety of droping you a few lines, as a reply to yours and mothers, of the 3rd inst. which come to hand yesterday, finding me enjoying good helth, you have no ided what pleasure and satisfaction your letters gave me as being the first that I have received from either of you since i was captured and also the first time that aI have heard from any of you.
With the exception of a letter that i received the other day from Jason, he stated in his that he had received a letter from you (at Knox) and all of the connections was well. I was sorry to hear that you had suffered so severe for a while by the effects of the gangreen taking place in your side, Tho proud to learn that you recovered from your severe spell as soon as you did, and had the pleasure of spending the winter at or near home. While myself and others was deprived of such happy privleges, tho reaping the contents of a prisners life. You atated in your letter that you would be sorry to acknolledge had you not remembered us daily in your prayers since we was captured.
I will say to you, mother, and all others, that I am more then a thousand times obliged to all for each prayer that you delivered up in my behalf, as I believe they was
answered from the most high, as I bore my trip with with much patience, and moor satisfaction then might be supposed as my mind was troubled not but what all was doing well at home.
Tho they commensed on yesterday to paroleing and sending them on North and are going to continue till we are al gon from here, tho to what parole camps or where abouts they may send us I cannot tell. I hpe that, we will all soon get furlows home.
I also phrophisy that we will have no moor fighting to do. That the so called Confederacy has about played, and peace will soon be made, ans we as soldiers of our country soon be mustered out and retuen to our happy homes again.
______ Grizzle, J.F. Wolf, Martin King, Wm. Keyhill, G.R. Ford, Wiley Payn, Wm. Love and Wm. Hood are all at the hospitals sick and Wm. Ford aught to be thare, some of them here, some at Vicksburg, and some others left on the boat to what hospitals I cannot tell. Tho some are getting most stout again. Monroe Wrinkle died at Cahab hospital. Kos Nickles was left on the way (at Demopalas, Ala) very bad off, and have no doubt died since we have not heard from him since he was left. W.A. Hart sends (illigible) and the boys generly sends ther best to you. M.V. may also sends his best love and respects to you and says he would like to see you, and wants you to pick out some nice
young girl for him against when he comes home. I will tell you the good luck I have met up since I came here, the day after i came here I was rambling around hunting some greens and found 4 half dollars in silver that had been lost from an old satchel that by or no doubt fell from the pocketts of some brave and true soldier that had lost his life on the battle grounds in defence of his country. I have been offered 5 times the amount for it but refused to take it. as I am desireous of keeping it as a rememberance of the battle ground of Vicksburg.
I took to chewing tobacco while I was in prison, believing
it to be good to my health, my health has also proved good ever since with the exception of a few slight spells of the Diore. and have not been troubled with the tooth-ache any whatever. Wr was all proud to heare that W.H.H. Cruye and Joshua Hines, had got to there.
He served as Corporal, Co. E, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, during the Civil War.
Enlisted Nov. 5, 1862.
Unconfirmed as a burial. Possibly a cenotaph. Memphis is approx. 390 miles from Knoxville. The most likely burial place would be Memphis National; however there is no record.
He was captured on 24-Sep-1864 in Athens, Alabama. Spenser was taken to Cahaba Prison Camp, located on the banks of the Cahaba and Alabama River. Though conditions at Cahaba were barely livable, they were good in comparison with those at the infamous Andersonville. It was simply a 16,000 foot former cotton warehouse, surrounded by a tall brick wall and held over 5000 prisoners between 1863-1865. Rain sometimes flooded the floors 1-4' deep.
Still, it is said to have been the best run of all Southern prisons. Rough estimates say that each man had only 6 sq. ft. of living space, when regulations required a minimum of 42.
With the approach of the end of the Civil War, the release of some union prisoners was negotiated in exchange for confederate prisoners. These Union soldiers were then placed on the extremely overcrowded steamship, the SULTANA. Just a few miles north of Memphis, the ship exploded, killing about 1700 returning Union Veterans.
Spenser was not among the survivors. He has a marker at the cemetery on grounds at the Williams-Henson Boys Home.
I was fortunate to have located these letters written
by Spenser Harrison Williams. Spelling will remain intact as it was a part of him.
Castle Morgan
C.S.A Prison
Cahaba, Ala. Feb 11/65
Dear mother,
With pleasure I avail the present opportunity of droping you a few lines that you may know that I am yet numbered amoung the living and enjoying a prisners life. I have no news to write you at present owing to circumstances.
You will please sent to Peter Rule that his two sons and Marion Thomas his soninlaws are all well. M.H. Roggers, Alexander McCarnmon, James Franklin, and the boys generaly are all in good helth.
My helth is good, and treatment far better then expected since the day of capture. If you have the opportunity send some Confederate money and it will be happily received. Give my respects to all inquireing friends.
I remain your obedient Son
untill death (may God be with you)
S.H. Williams
Co. E. 3rd Regt.
E. Tenn. Cav.
_______________________________
Exchange camps
Mar 19/65
Dear Mother,
With pleasure I again take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, that you may know I am yet No-among the living, and once moor releaced from an endless foe. 800 of us had the pleasure of landing at these camps on the 16th ins. for exchange. we may be exchanged, and furlowed soon or we may remain here until the 1st of May tho we are where we can be fed and clothed by our Government, And the Sanitary Commission are allready supplying us with all small artikles that we desire, of since we have long since been deprived of.
There is many things i would like to tell you, but time and paper will not admit at present. Our treatment while prisners was as good I expect as the Confedecy could afford, as Cahab prison was sed to be the best prison in the South, Tho we suffered at times from grub.
We were guared principaly by the OLD ISHUE I mean by men from 45 to 75 to a 100 years of age if they had one sound eye, and able to carry there gun and cane, these men comonly had feelings for us, and many of our own sentiment but fourst to do the durt.
There were a few mean debridations committed (illigible), feelings as some of our boys was (illigible) and onr regt so bad that (illigible) one was shot for I might say nothing and died, but Capt. Henderson Com'd the prison immetaetly relieved him from his post and sent him front where he could find armed yanks to contend with. We left the prison on the 6th inst. and left it in a miserable condition as there were heavy rains and the Alabam river had rose until it overflowed the whole town, and was also half leg deep al over he prison and had been for 5 days, it was bad tho amayzing to see the yanks (No 2200) climbing from bunk to bunk and building our fires on skillet les to do our cooking. The wether was very comfortable all winter. There was no snow only at one time and it but little.
One of our greates plagus while thare was small animals some times called Graybacks which created a considerable scratching and clost skirmishing each day to keep them
whiped out. I must soon close. You must delay no time in answering this letter as I have not heard from home since I was captured. Direct your letter to me, company, regt, and to Exchange camps near Vicksburg, Miss.
These few lines leaves me enjoying fine health and hope they may come to hand in due time finding you all enjoying good blessings. May our daily trust and actions be close with God that we may be numbered with the blest. Give my best love and respect to inquireing friends. I remain your obedient son untill death.
S.H. Williams
_____________________________
Parole Camps near
Vicksburg, Miss
Apr 17/65
Dear brother,
With much peasure I availe the opportunety of droping you a few lines, as a reply to yours and mothers, of the 3rd inst. which come to hand yesterday, finding me enjoying good helth, you have no ided what pleasure and satisfaction your letters gave me as being the first that I have received from either of you since i was captured and also the first time that aI have heard from any of you.
With the exception of a letter that i received the other day from Jason, he stated in his that he had received a letter from you (at Knox) and all of the connections was well. I was sorry to hear that you had suffered so severe for a while by the effects of the gangreen taking place in your side, Tho proud to learn that you recovered from your severe spell as soon as you did, and had the pleasure of spending the winter at or near home. While myself and others was deprived of such happy privleges, tho reaping the contents of a prisners life. You atated in your letter that you would be sorry to acknolledge had you not remembered us daily in your prayers since we was captured.
I will say to you, mother, and all others, that I am more then a thousand times obliged to all for each prayer that you delivered up in my behalf, as I believe they was
answered from the most high, as I bore my trip with with much patience, and moor satisfaction then might be supposed as my mind was troubled not but what all was doing well at home.
Tho they commensed on yesterday to paroleing and sending them on North and are going to continue till we are al gon from here, tho to what parole camps or where abouts they may send us I cannot tell. I hpe that, we will all soon get furlows home.
I also phrophisy that we will have no moor fighting to do. That the so called Confederacy has about played, and peace will soon be made, ans we as soldiers of our country soon be mustered out and retuen to our happy homes again.
______ Grizzle, J.F. Wolf, Martin King, Wm. Keyhill, G.R. Ford, Wiley Payn, Wm. Love and Wm. Hood are all at the hospitals sick and Wm. Ford aught to be thare, some of them here, some at Vicksburg, and some others left on the boat to what hospitals I cannot tell. Tho some are getting most stout again. Monroe Wrinkle died at Cahab hospital. Kos Nickles was left on the way (at Demopalas, Ala) very bad off, and have no doubt died since we have not heard from him since he was left. W.A. Hart sends (illigible) and the boys generly sends ther best to you. M.V. may also sends his best love and respects to you and says he would like to see you, and wants you to pick out some nice
young girl for him against when he comes home. I will tell you the good luck I have met up since I came here, the day after i came here I was rambling around hunting some greens and found 4 half dollars in silver that had been lost from an old satchel that by or no doubt fell from the pocketts of some brave and true soldier that had lost his life on the battle grounds in defence of his country. I have been offered 5 times the amount for it but refused to take it. as I am desireous of keeping it as a rememberance of the battle ground of Vicksburg.
I took to chewing tobacco while I was in prison, believing
it to be good to my health, my health has also proved good ever since with the exception of a few slight spells of the Diore. and have not been troubled with the tooth-ache any whatever. Wr was all proud to heare that W.H.H. Cruye and Joshua Hines, had got to there.
Son of Joel and Susannah Yearout Williams.
He served as Corporal, Co. E, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, during the Civil War.
Enlisted Nov. 5, 1862.
Unconfirmed as a burial. Possibly a cenotaph. Memphis is approx. 390 miles from Knoxville. The most likely burial place would be Memphis National; however there is no record.
He was captured on 24-Sep-1864 in Athens, Alabama. Spenser was taken to Cahaba Prison Camp, located on the banks of the Cahaba and Alabama River. Though conditions at Cahaba were barely livable, they were good in comparison with those at the infamous Andersonville. It was simply a 16,000 foot former cotton warehouse, surrounded by a tall brick wall and held over 5000 prisoners between 1863-1865. Rain sometimes flooded the floors 1-4' deep.
Still, it is said to have been the best run of all Southern prisons. Rough estimates say that each man had only 6 sq. ft. of living space, when regulations required a minimum of 42.
With the approach of the end of the Civil War, the release of some union prisoners was negotiated in exchange for confederate prisoners. These Union soldiers were then placed on the extremely overcrowded steamship, the SULTANA. Just a few miles north of Memphis, the ship exploded, killing about 1700 returning Union Veterans.
Spenser was not among the survivors. He has a marker at the cemetery on grounds at the Williams-Henson Boys Home.
I was fortunate to have located these letters written
by Spenser Harrison Williams. Spelling will remain intact as it was a part of him.
Castle Morgan
C.S.A Prison
Cahaba, Ala. Feb 11/65
Dear mother,
With pleasure I avail the present opportunity of droping you a few lines that you may know that I am yet numbered amoung the living and enjoying a prisners life. I have no news to write you at present owing to circumstances.
You will please sent to Peter Rule that his two sons and Marion Thomas his soninlaws are all well. M.H. Roggers, Alexander McCarnmon, James Franklin, and the boys generaly are all in good helth.
My helth is good, and treatment far better then expected since the day of capture. If you have the opportunity send some Confederate money and it will be happily received. Give my respects to all inquireing friends.
I remain your obedient Son
untill death (may God be with you)
S.H. Williams
Co. E. 3rd Regt.
E. Tenn. Cav.
_______________________________
Exchange camps
Mar 19/65
Dear Mother,
With pleasure I again take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, that you may know I am yet No-among the living, and once moor releaced from an endless foe. 800 of us had the pleasure of landing at these camps on the 16th ins. for exchange. we may be exchanged, and furlowed soon or we may remain here until the 1st of May tho we are where we can be fed and clothed by our Government, And the Sanitary Commission are allready supplying us with all small artikles that we desire, of since we have long since been deprived of.
There is many things i would like to tell you, but time and paper will not admit at present. Our treatment while prisners was as good I expect as the Confedecy could afford, as Cahab prison was sed to be the best prison in the South, Tho we suffered at times from grub.
We were guared principaly by the OLD ISHUE I mean by men from 45 to 75 to a 100 years of age if they had one sound eye, and able to carry there gun and cane, these men comonly had feelings for us, and many of our own sentiment but fourst to do the durt.
There were a few mean debridations committed (illigible), feelings as some of our boys was (illigible) and onr regt so bad that (illigible) one was shot for I might say nothing and died, but Capt. Henderson Com'd the prison immetaetly relieved him from his post and sent him front where he could find armed yanks to contend with. We left the prison on the 6th inst. and left it in a miserable condition as there were heavy rains and the Alabam river had rose until it overflowed the whole town, and was also half leg deep al over he prison and had been for 5 days, it was bad tho amayzing to see the yanks (No 2200) climbing from bunk to bunk and building our fires on skillet les to do our cooking. The wether was very comfortable all winter. There was no snow only at one time and it but little.
One of our greates plagus while thare was small animals some times called Graybacks which created a considerable scratching and clost skirmishing each day to keep them
whiped out. I must soon close. You must delay no time in answering this letter as I have not heard from home since I was captured. Direct your letter to me, company, regt, and to Exchange camps near Vicksburg, Miss.
These few lines leaves me enjoying fine health and hope they may come to hand in due time finding you all enjoying good blessings. May our daily trust and actions be close with God that we may be numbered with the blest. Give my best love and respect to inquireing friends. I remain your obedient son untill death.
S.H. Williams
_____________________________
Parole Camps near
Vicksburg, Miss
Apr 17/65
Dear brother,
With much peasure I availe the opportunety of droping you a few lines, as a reply to yours and mothers, of the 3rd inst. which come to hand yesterday, finding me enjoying good helth, you have no ided what pleasure and satisfaction your letters gave me as being the first that I have received from either of you since i was captured and also the first time that aI have heard from any of you.
With the exception of a letter that i received the other day from Jason, he stated in his that he had received a letter from you (at Knox) and all of the connections was well. I was sorry to hear that you had suffered so severe for a while by the effects of the gangreen taking place in your side, Tho proud to learn that you recovered from your severe spell as soon as you did, and had the pleasure of spending the winter at or near home. While myself and others was deprived of such happy privleges, tho reaping the contents of a prisners life. You atated in your letter that you would be sorry to acknolledge had you not remembered us daily in your prayers since we was captured.
I will say to you, mother, and all others, that I am more then a thousand times obliged to all for each prayer that you delivered up in my behalf, as I believe they was
answered from the most high, as I bore my trip with with much patience, and moor satisfaction then might be supposed as my mind was troubled not but what all was doing well at home.
Tho they commensed on yesterday to paroleing and sending them on North and are going to continue till we are al gon from here, tho to what parole camps or where abouts they may send us I cannot tell. I hpe that, we will all soon get furlows home.
I also phrophisy that we will have no moor fighting to do. That the so called Confederacy has about played, and peace will soon be made, ans we as soldiers of our country soon be mustered out and retuen to our happy homes again.
______ Grizzle, J.F. Wolf, Martin King, Wm. Keyhill, G.R. Ford, Wiley Payn, Wm. Love and Wm. Hood are all at the hospitals sick and Wm. Ford aught to be thare, some of them here, some at Vicksburg, and some others left on the boat to what hospitals I cannot tell. Tho some are getting most stout again. Monroe Wrinkle died at Cahab hospital. Kos Nickles was left on the way (at Demopalas, Ala) very bad off, and have no doubt died since we have not heard from him since he was left. W.A. Hart sends (illigible) and the boys generly sends ther best to you. M.V. may also sends his best love and respects to you and says he would like to see you, and wants you to pick out some nice
young girl for him against when he comes home. I will tell you the good luck I have met up since I came here, the day after i came here I was rambling around hunting some greens and found 4 half dollars in silver that had been lost from an old satchel that by or no doubt fell from the pocketts of some brave and true soldier that had lost his life on the battle grounds in defence of his country. I have been offered 5 times the amount for it but refused to take it. as I am desireous of keeping it as a rememberance of the battle ground of Vicksburg.
I took to chewing tobacco while I was in prison, believing
it to be good to my health, my health has also proved good ever since with the exception of a few slight spells of the Diore. and have not been troubled with the tooth-ache any whatever. Wr was all proud to heare that W.H.H. Cruye and Joshua Hines, had got to there.
He served as Corporal, Co. E, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, during the Civil War.
Enlisted Nov. 5, 1862.
Unconfirmed as a burial. Possibly a cenotaph. Memphis is approx. 390 miles from Knoxville. The most likely burial place would be Memphis National; however there is no record.
He was captured on 24-Sep-1864 in Athens, Alabama. Spenser was taken to Cahaba Prison Camp, located on the banks of the Cahaba and Alabama River. Though conditions at Cahaba were barely livable, they were good in comparison with those at the infamous Andersonville. It was simply a 16,000 foot former cotton warehouse, surrounded by a tall brick wall and held over 5000 prisoners between 1863-1865. Rain sometimes flooded the floors 1-4' deep.
Still, it is said to have been the best run of all Southern prisons. Rough estimates say that each man had only 6 sq. ft. of living space, when regulations required a minimum of 42.
With the approach of the end of the Civil War, the release of some union prisoners was negotiated in exchange for confederate prisoners. These Union soldiers were then placed on the extremely overcrowded steamship, the SULTANA. Just a few miles north of Memphis, the ship exploded, killing about 1700 returning Union Veterans.
Spenser was not among the survivors. He has a marker at the cemetery on grounds at the Williams-Henson Boys Home.
I was fortunate to have located these letters written
by Spenser Harrison Williams. Spelling will remain intact as it was a part of him.
Castle Morgan
C.S.A Prison
Cahaba, Ala. Feb 11/65
Dear mother,
With pleasure I avail the present opportunity of droping you a few lines that you may know that I am yet numbered amoung the living and enjoying a prisners life. I have no news to write you at present owing to circumstances.
You will please sent to Peter Rule that his two sons and Marion Thomas his soninlaws are all well. M.H. Roggers, Alexander McCarnmon, James Franklin, and the boys generaly are all in good helth.
My helth is good, and treatment far better then expected since the day of capture. If you have the opportunity send some Confederate money and it will be happily received. Give my respects to all inquireing friends.
I remain your obedient Son
untill death (may God be with you)
S.H. Williams
Co. E. 3rd Regt.
E. Tenn. Cav.
_______________________________
Exchange camps
Mar 19/65
Dear Mother,
With pleasure I again take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, that you may know I am yet No-among the living, and once moor releaced from an endless foe. 800 of us had the pleasure of landing at these camps on the 16th ins. for exchange. we may be exchanged, and furlowed soon or we may remain here until the 1st of May tho we are where we can be fed and clothed by our Government, And the Sanitary Commission are allready supplying us with all small artikles that we desire, of since we have long since been deprived of.
There is many things i would like to tell you, but time and paper will not admit at present. Our treatment while prisners was as good I expect as the Confedecy could afford, as Cahab prison was sed to be the best prison in the South, Tho we suffered at times from grub.
We were guared principaly by the OLD ISHUE I mean by men from 45 to 75 to a 100 years of age if they had one sound eye, and able to carry there gun and cane, these men comonly had feelings for us, and many of our own sentiment but fourst to do the durt.
There were a few mean debridations committed (illigible), feelings as some of our boys was (illigible) and onr regt so bad that (illigible) one was shot for I might say nothing and died, but Capt. Henderson Com'd the prison immetaetly relieved him from his post and sent him front where he could find armed yanks to contend with. We left the prison on the 6th inst. and left it in a miserable condition as there were heavy rains and the Alabam river had rose until it overflowed the whole town, and was also half leg deep al over he prison and had been for 5 days, it was bad tho amayzing to see the yanks (No 2200) climbing from bunk to bunk and building our fires on skillet les to do our cooking. The wether was very comfortable all winter. There was no snow only at one time and it but little.
One of our greates plagus while thare was small animals some times called Graybacks which created a considerable scratching and clost skirmishing each day to keep them
whiped out. I must soon close. You must delay no time in answering this letter as I have not heard from home since I was captured. Direct your letter to me, company, regt, and to Exchange camps near Vicksburg, Miss.
These few lines leaves me enjoying fine health and hope they may come to hand in due time finding you all enjoying good blessings. May our daily trust and actions be close with God that we may be numbered with the blest. Give my best love and respect to inquireing friends. I remain your obedient son untill death.
S.H. Williams
_____________________________
Parole Camps near
Vicksburg, Miss
Apr 17/65
Dear brother,
With much peasure I availe the opportunety of droping you a few lines, as a reply to yours and mothers, of the 3rd inst. which come to hand yesterday, finding me enjoying good helth, you have no ided what pleasure and satisfaction your letters gave me as being the first that I have received from either of you since i was captured and also the first time that aI have heard from any of you.
With the exception of a letter that i received the other day from Jason, he stated in his that he had received a letter from you (at Knox) and all of the connections was well. I was sorry to hear that you had suffered so severe for a while by the effects of the gangreen taking place in your side, Tho proud to learn that you recovered from your severe spell as soon as you did, and had the pleasure of spending the winter at or near home. While myself and others was deprived of such happy privleges, tho reaping the contents of a prisners life. You atated in your letter that you would be sorry to acknolledge had you not remembered us daily in your prayers since we was captured.
I will say to you, mother, and all others, that I am more then a thousand times obliged to all for each prayer that you delivered up in my behalf, as I believe they was
answered from the most high, as I bore my trip with with much patience, and moor satisfaction then might be supposed as my mind was troubled not but what all was doing well at home.
Tho they commensed on yesterday to paroleing and sending them on North and are going to continue till we are al gon from here, tho to what parole camps or where abouts they may send us I cannot tell. I hpe that, we will all soon get furlows home.
I also phrophisy that we will have no moor fighting to do. That the so called Confederacy has about played, and peace will soon be made, ans we as soldiers of our country soon be mustered out and retuen to our happy homes again.
______ Grizzle, J.F. Wolf, Martin King, Wm. Keyhill, G.R. Ford, Wiley Payn, Wm. Love and Wm. Hood are all at the hospitals sick and Wm. Ford aught to be thare, some of them here, some at Vicksburg, and some others left on the boat to what hospitals I cannot tell. Tho some are getting most stout again. Monroe Wrinkle died at Cahab hospital. Kos Nickles was left on the way (at Demopalas, Ala) very bad off, and have no doubt died since we have not heard from him since he was left. W.A. Hart sends (illigible) and the boys generly sends ther best to you. M.V. may also sends his best love and respects to you and says he would like to see you, and wants you to pick out some nice
young girl for him against when he comes home. I will tell you the good luck I have met up since I came here, the day after i came here I was rambling around hunting some greens and found 4 half dollars in silver that had been lost from an old satchel that by or no doubt fell from the pocketts of some brave and true soldier that had lost his life on the battle grounds in defence of his country. I have been offered 5 times the amount for it but refused to take it. as I am desireous of keeping it as a rememberance of the battle ground of Vicksburg.
I took to chewing tobacco while I was in prison, believing
it to be good to my health, my health has also proved good ever since with the exception of a few slight spells of the Diore. and have not been troubled with the tooth-ache any whatever. Wr was all proud to heare that W.H.H. Cruye and Joshua Hines, had got to there.
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