estar mehvcont &. > a earnest Samuel Cabble’s Letter ‘Samuel Cabble, a private in the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Infantry (colored), was a slave before he joined the army. He was twenty-one years old. ‘Massachusetts 1863, Dear Wife i have enlisted in the army iam now in the state of Massachusetts but before this letter reaches you i will bein North Carlinia and though great is the present national dificlties yeti look forward toa brighter day When i shall have the opertunity of seeing you inthe full enjoyment of fredom i would like to no if you are stil in slavery ifyou are it will not belong, before we shall have crashed the system that now opreses you for inthe course of three months you shall have your liberty. grea is the outpouring of the colered peop! that is now rallying ‘with the hearts of lions against that very curse that has seperated you an me yet we shall meet again and oh what a happy time that willbe when this ungodly rebellion shall be put down and ‘the curses of our land is trampled under our feet iam a soldier now and i shall use my utmost endeavor to strike atthe rebellion and the heart of this system that so ong has kept usin Chains... remain your own afectionate hushand wntil death--Samnel Cable ‘Samuel Cabble returned to Missouri for his wife, and together they moved to Denver, Colorado. ‘The Car Curt | Mie schoo ina onetpt SE. sg a John Sweet Letter Letter from John Sweet, Confederate Soldier, to His Parents Tennessee ‘November 1863 ‘We have just returned from a trip into East Tenn where we got big amounts of everything to eat and everything we eat is so good to me as I had been starved out so long on some bread & beef, all that we got while we were here besieging Chattanooga. up there we got sweet and Irish potatoes, chickens, molassas, wheat bread and everything that was good for a poor soldier. Oh, hhow Ido wish that I could be at home now, for itis getting late in the evening and [have had. ‘nothing to eat since breakfast and no telling when we will get rations for our rations are out, since we eft our ration wagons behind in coming here to this place, for I know you have all had ‘a good & plentiful dinner. [know you will say poor John, but ths is only a chapter in military Service which we often read, but Tam content and will e more so when we get rations. The independence of the bounty is what I want and I am willing to suffer for something to eat ‘many, many days ifit will only send me to my dear parents, a full and independent boy. John H. Sweet The Wr Cc | Mie Scho! atari— & { = Zachariah HJ Benefield Letter Letter from Zachariah HJ Beneficld, Confederate Soldier, to His Wife Tennessee April 1864 ‘Mrs Sary Jane Benefield Dear beloved wife I soat myself this morning to drop you A few lines to let you know that Lam ‘walla 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 snowed and rained every day we are camped a- Zolicofer Tennessee Eleven miles from the line of Virginia, When you hear from me again Iwill bein Virginia. 1 reckon We have stopped at Zolicofer to rest A few days on Tuesday the 22 of March the snow fell two feet deep hear &it has been snowing & raining every since We are on our rode to Virginia I think Jane we are faring very bad for something to eat we get flour with the brand in it & itis half ‘ate deman can't hardly eat it we don't get half enough iFit We steal a litle &eparish a litle. We ‘an’ buy nothing our money ant no count... Give my love and best respects to all friends [ must close so no more at present Only remains your truly husband until death Write soon Good Bye When this you See remember Me ZH J Benefield ‘The cv War Curl | Mia Sect nar onpearentanteaver enmcont a. = ee eres Wi A.Letter from William Norton, Union Soldier, to His Mother Hilton Head, South Carolina Oct. 8th, 1862 liam Norton Letter ‘My Dear Mother, Hearing that there is « mail going out this afternoon I thought I would improve the opportunity ‘and write you afew lines. ‘Tam sorry to tell you I am not very well at present. I was taken sick about three weeks ago with ‘chronie diarrhea, and have been in the hospital about a fortnight. Thave been pretty sick but I ‘am getting better now and hope to be well in a few days. [would like to have you send me some things which will come better in barrel than in anything else T should like some good fresh eggs, a bottle of preserves, some lemons if you can {get some good ones, some ginger root. Some butter would be very nice it will come better in a tinean than in anything else. I would lke some sugar too, I wish you would send a bottle of ‘good Cider Vinegar also- {would like some picklod onions, and some dried apples, Some prepared chocolate would taste first rate, as we do not get good tea and coffee Atowel and a couple of handkerchiefs will be very acceptable also. If there is any room for anything else I wish that you would fill it up with onions and good sound apples that are not Guite ripe that they will kep better. Direct to the eare of Capt. Sanford, CoC, 7th Regt. Conn Vols. DD Tompkins Esq Asst. QM General No 6 State St. NY. Please send itas soon as, possible: ‘have not heard from you since I have been here but should like to do so every mail. If convenient please send $5.00 the next time you write. Give lve to all enquiring friends, and believe me - [Ever your aff son William Norton The Gi War ucla | Mie Scho! war onfeetan