IN THEIR OWN WORDS... voices from the unpleasantness July 12

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
IN THEIR OWN WORDS... voices from the unpleasantness

July 12, 1863-

A Georgia soldier wrote to a young woman on this day with the sad news of the death of her brother; he also told her of some questionable treatment of Confederate prisoners.

“…I read a letter from a prisoner of Company F, that is the company that Brother William belonged to, which stated that he was one of the many slain on that bloody field of strife. He was killed on the 16th of May in the Battle of Champion Hill. This prisoner, E.M. Ardridge, says the Yanks had 17 of Co. F with him. He said they marched them through their towns and made a kind of monkey show of them. He also stated that he saw lots of our officers in the fort rooms in chains. …

July 12, 1864-
William King wrote in his diary of his frustrations with the people who had brought on the war, both North and South, and of the kindness of one Union captain.

I visited town as usual this morning and was informed James King had been taken prisoner on Saturday and was then in town to be sent North. I tried to find him among the prisoners and learnt that he had already been sent off which I greatly regretted, not being able to see him and knowing the great anxiety of his family and friends. What sufferings have been occasioned by this sad, useless war–how much happier would we all be had not the political demagogues North and South been permitted to force this war upon a happy, prosperous people. Mr. Goodman this morning informed of a pleasant incident of which he was a witness on Sabbath last, he with a few others had attended the burial in the graveyard of a child of a poor woman who was a refugee from the county, she was greatly afflicted, at the grave he met a Federal officer (Capt’n) who had prepared the grave and who he then learnt had assisted in attending the sick child, procured the coffin and prepared the grave, he stood by the poor mother, comforting her, while the Federal soldiers were filling up the grave, and when done the poor mother overcome with grief, threw herself on the grave, the Federal officer knelt by her side speaking comforting words, some higher spots still left in the Human heart, not all godforsaken. We had some rain last night to lay the dust. The flies have been more numerous and annoying for a month past than I have ever known before. Mr. Bonfoir just from Roswell delivered me a message from Sister Cate and Bro. P. to go to see them, as they were anxious to consult with me about their exposed situation and the propriety of their moving into the Southern lines. I feel greatly for them, but I cannot prudently leave home, I will write to them by the first opportunity to remove all of their supplies here and to come and stay with me, we may be able to mittigate each other’s anxieties and trials. Their situation I know is much exposed to the multitude of Robbers. Source: Diary of William King; Cobb County, Georgia, 1864
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