Mahan, William H. ~ Letters

Thought you'd be interested in this letter from William H. Mahan of Banner, Calhoun County, MS to his daughter, Margaret Victoria Mahan, in 1863. He died in camp at Grenada shortly after writing the letter. Transcribed and submitted by: Carole Barger, Fort Smith, AR

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Camp Near GrenadaJanuary 4th 1863Dear daughter,I embrace the opportunity of droping (dropping) you a few lines to inform you that I am not well at this time.  I have had a verry (very) bad cold and diarrhea.  My bowels is deranged at this time verry (very) mutch (much) but I think that I am on the mend a little at present.  We moved in a rany (rainy), wet time and we was in the mud and escposed (exposed) to the weather.  I think is the cuse (cause) of our sickness.  There is 5 or 6 of our co. sick at this time.  Riley, Shaw, Womble, Lt. Hawkins and Isic Williams are complaining in our co. at this.  We have orders to move again 1 mile west of Grenada to try to guard that place but we know not when. We will move down.

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Tell your mother not to be uneasy about me for I will take good care of my self.  We have a good shelter before our tents and a chimney to it that makes it comfortable enough.  We have plenty to eat.  Sutch (Such) as it is we have beef and bread, shugar (sugar) with sum (some) rice.  We can make out as to the provisions if we can be healthy but I want you to tell your mother that Mr. Tomps Turner is going to start down here next Monday with sum (some) provisions to the Cpt. and tell her that I want him to pick up for me one shoulder of her meat that she has hung up and my cittle sack of fruit soup and 1 bushel of potatoes if the weather is not too cold.

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Also tell your that I want her to kill her hoghs (hogs) as soon as she thinks they will doo (do), to sell her corn and evry (every) chance let Tom plow untill (until) he gets the oats sown and then let him commence breaking stuble (stubble).  But I think I will cum (come) home before long but not on furlough.  There is camp talk of us being sent home the first of March.  We can not any thing about it furloughs or killed no one but me goes hom (home) without them.  They keep up ther (their) cort (court) martial here from day unto day but they have not punished manny (many) men yet.  They called me in to a court martial the other day but did not hurt me.  I claimed protection under Gov. P_____ proclimation (proclamation)

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and got clear of the charge.  All men that reported by the 26 of Janary (January) wer (were) not hurt.  Sum (Some) men hav (have) to mark time and chop wood fore (four) or five days and stop thir (their) wages for the time they have bin (been) gon (gone).  Sum (Some) laughs and sum (some) swares (swears) they will runaway and one sum (some) one thing and sum (some) another but regt. is now in confusion. They say they will never move till they get ther (their) money.  Tell your mother to do the best she can with the stock untill (until) I get home.  Thell (Tell) the reste (rest) of the children and your mother that I want to see them and hope this letter will find them well.  Tell your mother to send my provisions down to the old man collinses (Collin's) next Sunday morning. Soon something more but remember your affectionate father untill (until) death.W.H. Mahan