Confederate CIVIL WAR LETTER - 2nd Georgia Infantry - Jeff Davis Visits Camp !!

Description

CIVIL WAR LETTER
Civil War Letter - 2nd Georgia Infantry (Confederate)
This Confederate Civil War letter was written by James Cicero Franklin (1837-1863), the son of David Franklin (1804-1849) and Elizabeth Callaway (1811-1865) of Meriwether county, Georgia. James wrote the letter to his wife, Octavia (“Tavia”) Hardy (1834-1880). James and Tavia had two boys prior to the war— Leander (1858-1941) and James, Jr. (1859-1861).
James enlisted as a private in
Co. B, 2nd Georgia Infantry
on 12 July 1861. The following April James was elected to 2d Lieutenant of his company and he was killed at Gettysburg in the fighting of the first day. Though he undoubtedly was killed at Gettysburg, it was more than likely on the second day of fighting as the regiment did not arrive on the field until that day when they took part in the attack on the Union right and took possession of the Devil’s Den.
The 2nd Georgia served in Toomb’s Brigade which consisted of four Georgia regiments—the 2nd, 15th, 17th, and 20th Georgia.
Note - This letter was laminated years ago for protection (a practice that was thought to be good but modern day collectors would never do that).  So, again, it has been laminated and cannot be removed without damage.
Transcription
Near Fairfax [Virginia]
October 8th 1861
Dear wife,
I am to be able this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know my present health. I have almost recovered of the measles. I have returned back to camp. My throat is very sore and my glands swollen a little. When I got back to camp, I received a letter from Georgia but of an old date. It had been a month since I had the pleasure of reading a few lines that dropped from your hand but they come—and behold, I found the hair in one of those letters whom I hold dearer than myself. I know that you have been uneasy about me but when I left the hospital and went to the country, I was treated as kind as I could be when I left the place. If you could of seen the folks, you would of thought they was parting with their only child. They told me as long as I stayed in Virginia, consider I had a home here.
My only dear, I do not know what to write to you about the war. I expected the other day we would be ordered in a battle every moment. Our Colonel [Paul Jones Semmes] made us send all our things off but what we could carry. I [am] only left [with] 2 shirts and my 2 blankets to carry. They are at Manassas but we have not left this place yet and I do not know when we will. I heard the cannons firing all day yesterday but we have not received no orders. Our President Jefferson Davis was in our camps the other day & Robert Toombs—our General—was here. Oh that you could of seen all of us on the field forming the line of battle with Davis & Toombs in front and all of us charging bayonets and running our best and four brass bands playing at once.
You [would] not be surprised if we are not ordered back to Georgia for
Old Joseph Brown
says we shall not stay in Virginia this winter. There is over half of our regiment sick. We have not got but 32 men in our company. Colby Grimsley [has] gone off and Sam Bussey [too]. Grimsly was not very sick. We sent them off last week because we was expecting a long march and a battle. I was sicker than any of them but I stayed. I had been in war too long to believe everything I hear. We are in six miles of the Yankees and we have seen the City of Washington. We may have a fight soon and may never have one. Davis said we would have peace in sixty days.
Tavy, I know you hear a great many things wrote from here about the war. There is more lies wrote than anything else. Don’t believe half for that what keeps the steer up in that country, I can hear of the lies wrote from our company. I do not know what so many companies are leaving these for. We have got a plenty here. There is about three hundred thousand volunteers in this state. There will be more die from sickness than by bullets. Just pray for my health and I think I am sure to get home. They tell me here that the snow gets deeper than a man’s head. I reckon you heard of Loce Basil shooting his forefinger off. The boys laugh at him right smart.
Tavy, all I want this winter is an overcoat, one pair of pants, and pair of boots—water proof—with their legs to come above my knees.
My dear, I must close these few lines by promising to write whenever I get any news. Tell Eliza I received her letter and was happy to hear from her and the family. I will answer her letter soon. Tell Alfea & Dea I will answer theirs soon. Tell all of them not to wait for me to write for they have more time. Try and all, my prayer is to return to see my little family and be placed as I once was. I have a plenty to eat. We have it fixed up very well. Try, I wish you could know how often I think of you but I try to pass the time the best I can. Tell my children to remember me [and] not to forget me. I want you to hire John Murphy. Give him his price for he is the only man you ought to trust. May God look over you and my little family is my prayer. Write soon. Give my love to all.
Farewell. Farewell. — James C. Franklin
Do not send May
n
clothes. I will write when I want them. I might have to throw them away.
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