Letter, From A.H. Reynolds to his Sister, Catherine Reynolds

Letter dated 8-3-1863 from AH Reynolds to his sister Catherine.

Letter, From A.H. Reynolds to his Sister, Catherine Reynolds

Object number2006.016.151

DateAugust 3, 1863

Mediumpaper and ink

Dimensions7 1/2 x 9 3/4 in. (19.1 x 24.8 cm)

Credit LineOld State House Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionLetter dated August 3rd 1863 from A.H. (Archibald Hamilton) Reynolds (19th Arkansas Regiment, 2 Brig, 2nd Missouri, Price's Army) to his sister Catherine. Reynolds is at Camp Prichard. He discusses their position 12 miles east of Vicksburg "on the railroad guarding the Bridge." He tells his sister that all they have to eat is 1/2 pound of beef per day per man. He says that they will not put down the animals until they can no longer walk. He also discusses a girl he met in Natchez named Margaret Fincher.
The letter has the "CS" found on the Confederate uniform belt buckle sketched onto the bottom of the letter.

Camp Prichard Cliffs(?)
August 3, 1863

Dear Sister
I now take my seat to drop you a few lines to let you now [sic] that I am well and in good helth [sic]. There is a rite [sic] smark sickness in Camp now. Too [sic] or three days ago there was non sick but now there is a dozen or more and getting sick every day. I now [sic] not how soon I may be down. We have to drink pond water and eat (?) beef. They never think of killing a beef until it gets so that it can't walk and then they only give as a half pound to the men per day. Price saw in his speech before he left that this brigade should go with him and that he had orders to take there [sic] place. If we come soon we will come up the Ouachita. Some think that we will go soon but I think it doubtful if we come at all or not. We ar [sic] situated 12 miles east of Vicksburg on the Railroad guarding the bridge over big Black. We have to (?) stand guard half of our time. Go on one (?) and come off the next morn and go on the next & so on every day. The (?) is we has [sic] to keep so larg [sic] a gard [sic] that it takes about half our men to go (?) on time about half our men is (?). The Regment [sic] is composed of about (?) 75 privates and about 15 ofisers [sic]. When we aren't(?) on gard [sic], we ar [sic] drilling. We have preaching(?) nearly every day. I was at preaching(?) last night and will all be at preaching tonight. The drum is beating at the head of our regt to go to Drill and I must come to a close

Late - I must tell you about what a pretty girl I found Natches Cliffs. I went to a house to stay all night and she met me at the dore [sic] and asked me in. Asked me where I was from and if I was a soldier. She then give me a time on the gitar [sic]. Her father then came in. He asked me the same questions. The next morning I asked my bill [sic]. He said nothing. I then had to walk to Pourt [sic] Gibson, 20 miles. He asked me if there was anymore of us. I tole [sic] him yes. He then tole [sic] me to wait till he came back. I then went in the parlor where his daughter gave me her name in fool [sic - think he means full]. Her name is Margaret F. Fincher. Then she gave me the Rebil [sic] Collar(?). Then I found a man here than is goin [sic] to draw them. I will send you one. Then Mr. Fincher put us all in his carriage and sent us to Pt. Gibson and did not charge us a single cent.
Cate, give my love to all the girls and tell them to write, not to wait on me to write first for I haven't time to write. Tell them to excuse me for not writing for I will write as soon as I can get a chance. I must come to a close. Give my love to all and accept the same.
W.H. Reynolds.
18th Ark Regt
2 Brig., 2 MO Division
Price's Army
Edwards Station Cliffs (?)

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Not on view

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