Art Work
I choose this piece of artwork because it is based on an African American family instead of the battles of the war. It is based on the people the American Civil War was for.
Writting
This is a quote from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, it shows how African American slaves lives where and how mistreated they where. It gives a glance into how Uncle Tom's Cabin impacted America politically and how tensions rose between pro-slavery and anti-slavery states.
Letter #1
Camp
7 Reg Ga Vol Near Zolicofer Tenn April the 4th 1864
Mrs Sary Jane Benefield
Dear beloved wife I seat my self this morning to drop you A few lines to let you no that I am well at this time and hoping this few lines may --- ---- to hand and find you enjoying the best of health Jane I have no mise of intrust to write to you Only we have had A hard march we marched five days it snode and rained everyday we ar campt a- Zolicofer tennessee Aleven miles from the line of Virginia When you hear from me again I will be in Virginia I recton We hav stopied at Zolicofer to rest A few days on tuesday the 22 of March the snow fell two feet deep hear & it has bin snowing & raining evry sence We ar on our rode to Virginia I think
Jane we ar faring verry bad for something to eat we git flour with the brand in it & it is half oats & man cant hardly eate it we dont git half A nuf if it We steal A little & prearsh A little We cant by nothing our money ant no count Jane this is the fift letter I hav rote to you & got no
ancer yet Jane I dont no what to think Jane you sed you wood write to me every week if you have rite to me I hant got you letter Jane if node how bad I want to hear from you you wood write to me I hant got A crutch of fear from no body Sence I left home I am About eight hundred milds from home Jane I dont no how to write if I git A letter I wood no better how to write Jane tell brother that I am A looking for A letter from him thay Say that the Yankes is Advansing on richmon A gin we hav to go and defend it we A folling back out of east tennessee Jane we saw a bad time A marching threw the snow & rain thay ar A feeding us on oats & rye & wheat mus- togather & it not boiled the chaf & brand is all in it Giv my lov and best respects to all friends I must Close So no more at present Only remains your truly husband until deth
Write soon Good By When this you See remember Me
Z H J Benefield
Dy rect your letter to Bristle tenn Com G 7 Reg Ga Vol
Link to Letter website:
http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/benefield.htm
7 Reg Ga Vol Near Zolicofer Tenn April the 4th 1864
Mrs Sary Jane Benefield
Dear beloved wife I seat my self this morning to drop you A few lines to let you no that I am well at this time and hoping this few lines may --- ---- to hand and find you enjoying the best of health Jane I have no mise of intrust to write to you Only we have had A hard march we marched five days it snode and rained everyday we ar campt a- Zolicofer tennessee Aleven miles from the line of Virginia When you hear from me again I will be in Virginia I recton We hav stopied at Zolicofer to rest A few days on tuesday the 22 of March the snow fell two feet deep hear & it has bin snowing & raining evry sence We ar on our rode to Virginia I think
Jane we ar faring verry bad for something to eat we git flour with the brand in it & it is half oats & man cant hardly eate it we dont git half A nuf if it We steal A little & prearsh A little We cant by nothing our money ant no count Jane this is the fift letter I hav rote to you & got no
ancer yet Jane I dont no what to think Jane you sed you wood write to me every week if you have rite to me I hant got you letter Jane if node how bad I want to hear from you you wood write to me I hant got A crutch of fear from no body Sence I left home I am About eight hundred milds from home Jane I dont no how to write if I git A letter I wood no better how to write Jane tell brother that I am A looking for A letter from him thay Say that the Yankes is Advansing on richmon A gin we hav to go and defend it we A folling back out of east tennessee Jane we saw a bad time A marching threw the snow & rain thay ar A feeding us on oats & rye & wheat mus- togather & it not boiled the chaf & brand is all in it Giv my lov and best respects to all friends I must Close So no more at present Only remains your truly husband until deth
Write soon Good By When this you See remember Me
Z H J Benefield
Dy rect your letter to Bristle tenn Com G 7 Reg Ga Vol
Link to Letter website:
http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/benefield.htm
Response
This letter is by Zachariah H.J. Benefield who fought for the Confederate forces he is writing to his wife, Sarah Jane Gorge, on April 4th, 1864. The letter shows that he was quiet illiterate. Zachariah tells about how little food the soldiers are being served and how disgusting it is, but he doesn't discuss his location or anything about the battles, just about the food and previous letters he wrote and about hoping to receive one back finally. He also mentions a little about his brother and other close friends.
Letter #2
Camp of the 4th Delaware Vols
Arlington Hights, VA
May 20, 1865
Dear Brother
Yours of the 31st of March came to hand yesterday after being on the road nearly two months, but you must not think I waited to get a letter from you before writing to you. The reason of my not writing to you was I have forgotten the number of your Brigade and Division and I am going to trust this by directing to the Regiment. Arlington Hights are on the Virginia side of the Potomac opposite Washington. We marched here from Appomattox Court House (the place of Lee's surrender). We camped about two weeks at Burkesville (the junction of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and Richmond & Danville Railroads). We marched from there direct by the way of Petersburg, Richmond, Bowling Green, and Fredericksburg.
I suppose you will read in the papers that there is to be a review of the Army of the Potomac and Sherman's Army on the 23rd & 24th insts (?). We expect then to be mustered out in a day or so. I guess as Ned is a recruit he will not get out for some time yet, but now the fighting is over all the troops that stay in the service will have good times. I think all the recruits will be mustered out in a month or so. By letters from home, I see that you and Wes Eckles were together at Winchester. I suppose you didn't get to stay long together. I hear that Wes is in Washington. I haven't seen him yet; we had a review coming through Richmond and were marched past Libby Prison, Castle Thunder, the State House, & Lee and Davis Houses, etc.
I suppose you are pretty well acquainted with all the incidents connected with the Campaign and there is no use of my relating them here.
I intended to have gone to see you before going home if you had stayed at Cumberland, but as you have moved, I will wait and see where you are going to be located, for I hear that the Government is going to retain the Veterans; after being in Service 2 years and 9 months I have only climbed the Ladder of Fame high enough to be an Orderly Sergeant which I have the honor to be now. I suppose to become famous I shall have to do something like Booth the assassion; the last letter I had from home they were all well. Ned received a letter from you (in my care) at Richmond. Slim Eckles is not well yet. Ben Bogia send his respects to you. Ned sends his love to you to which I add my own and I will close by signing myself your affectionate brother,
George
PS You can direct in about a week to
Geo W. Johnson, Jr.
Elkton,
Cecil County, Md
May 21st: I didn't get this in the mail yesterday; there is nothing new. I am going to commence making out our muster-out rolls tomorrow.
Link to Letter Website:
http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/johnsonjr.htm
Arlington Hights, VA
May 20, 1865
Dear Brother
Yours of the 31st of March came to hand yesterday after being on the road nearly two months, but you must not think I waited to get a letter from you before writing to you. The reason of my not writing to you was I have forgotten the number of your Brigade and Division and I am going to trust this by directing to the Regiment. Arlington Hights are on the Virginia side of the Potomac opposite Washington. We marched here from Appomattox Court House (the place of Lee's surrender). We camped about two weeks at Burkesville (the junction of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and Richmond & Danville Railroads). We marched from there direct by the way of Petersburg, Richmond, Bowling Green, and Fredericksburg.
I suppose you will read in the papers that there is to be a review of the Army of the Potomac and Sherman's Army on the 23rd & 24th insts (?). We expect then to be mustered out in a day or so. I guess as Ned is a recruit he will not get out for some time yet, but now the fighting is over all the troops that stay in the service will have good times. I think all the recruits will be mustered out in a month or so. By letters from home, I see that you and Wes Eckles were together at Winchester. I suppose you didn't get to stay long together. I hear that Wes is in Washington. I haven't seen him yet; we had a review coming through Richmond and were marched past Libby Prison, Castle Thunder, the State House, & Lee and Davis Houses, etc.
I suppose you are pretty well acquainted with all the incidents connected with the Campaign and there is no use of my relating them here.
I intended to have gone to see you before going home if you had stayed at Cumberland, but as you have moved, I will wait and see where you are going to be located, for I hear that the Government is going to retain the Veterans; after being in Service 2 years and 9 months I have only climbed the Ladder of Fame high enough to be an Orderly Sergeant which I have the honor to be now. I suppose to become famous I shall have to do something like Booth the assassion; the last letter I had from home they were all well. Ned received a letter from you (in my care) at Richmond. Slim Eckles is not well yet. Ben Bogia send his respects to you. Ned sends his love to you to which I add my own and I will close by signing myself your affectionate brother,
George
PS You can direct in about a week to
Geo W. Johnson, Jr.
Elkton,
Cecil County, Md
May 21st: I didn't get this in the mail yesterday; there is nothing new. I am going to commence making out our muster-out rolls tomorrow.
Link to Letter Website:
http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/johnsonjr.htm
Response
George W. Johnson was a solider for the Union was writing to his brother on May 20, 1865 who was also a solider is seems. George seems to be a an educated man in his letter he discusses previous battles and about people he doesn't clarify relations to but seems to be close with. He also discusses his honorable ranking as a Orderly Sergeant briefly before Georges letter makes it apparent to you that it is at the near end of the war and than talks how he is working on sending soldiers and himself home.