James Z.Banscomb, 3rd Alabama

[CSA Today]

"James Zachariah Branscomb, age 25 of the 3rd Alabama, was one of seven sons of a cotton farmer named Bennett. As he took pencil in hand to write a letter home from the front lines on May 18, 1864, James and his comrades in the Army of Northern Virginia must have been exhausted -- and no end to the fighting was in sight."

"Dear Sister," Branscomb's letter to Lucinda Hunter began, "I can almost feel the anxious throbbing of your heart but could not write sooner. Today is the first mail we have had since the fight began. Today makes two weeks of fighting. Our regiment has been engaged four times. I have never seen any fighting to compare with this. Our loss has been heavy but nothing to compare with the enemy.
"We have killed thousands. I have killed two myself."

"James' unsigned, two-page letter was never sent. The next day, he was killed at Harris Farm. His final resting spot is unknown. (Less than two months later, another Branscomb boy, 21-year-old Willie, was killed by a sharpshooter in Harpers Ferry, Va)"

 

[ErnieMac]

More about the Branscomb brothers at the following site.
http://simpsonhistory.com/notes/lewisbranscomb

Harpers Ferry VA July the 2nd 1865
Mrs.Branscomb

Dear Madam,
On the 4 of July will be one year since the Confederate soldiers was here and there was a young man killed in my yard by a sharp shooter. At the place he died I picked up a Bible and written on the fly leaf was his name "L. S. Branscomb Co. D, 3d regiment of Alabama. On the next leaf was written if found on my person please send to my mother Mrs B H Branscomb at Union Springs Alabama do so and oblige a friend who ever you be. I should have done so sooner but not knowen that the way was open between here and there and as I have just herd that I could send letters through embrace the first opportunity. If you wish for the book you can [write and?-obscured] I will send it by mail immediately and if you wish to know any thing more [I can?-obscured] write you all that I know concerning your son. If you wish to write address

Mrs. Margarett A. Cross
Harpers Ferry,
Virginia
Care of Cathrin Shillings

 

[CSA Today]

More about the Branscomb brothers at the following site.
http://simpsonhistory.com/notes/lewisbranscomb

Harpers Ferry VA July the 2nd 1865
Mrs.Branscomb

Dear Madam,
On the 4 of July will be one year since the Confederate soldiers was here and there was a young man killed in my yard by a sharp shooter. At the place he died I picked up a Bible and written on the fly leaf was his name "L. S. Branscomb Co. D, 3d regiment of Alabama. On the next leaf was written if found on my person please send to my mother Mrs B H Branscomb at Union Springs Alabama do so and oblige a friend who ever you be. I should have done so sooner but not knowen that the way was open between here and there and as I have just herd that I could send letters through embrace the first opportunity. If you wish for the book you can [write and?-obscured] I will send it by mail immediately and if you wish to know any thing more [I can?-obscured] write you all that I know concerning your son. If you wish to write address

Mrs. Margarett A. Cross
Harpers Ferry,
Virginia
Care of Cathrin Shillings

Thanks for the additional information.

 

[ErnieMac]

Thanks for the additional information.

I find many of your posts intriguing and am glad I can add a little something to them. Found the following photo taken by Clint Schemmer, Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star while looking for info on the destruction of the Harris Farm at Spotsylvania. http://john-banks.blogspot.com/2014/04/history-lost-what-happened-to-harris.html

 

[CSA Today]

I find many of your posts intriguing and am glad I can add a little something to them. Found the following photo taken by Clint Schemmer, Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star while looking for info on the destruction of the Harris Farm at Spotsylvania. http://john-banks.blogspot.com/2014/04/history-lost-what-happened-to-harris.html
View attachment 54528

Wow, thanks again.