19MAR1864: Capt Henry A. Allen, CS Army, of the 9th Virginia Infantry was captured at Gettysburg back in July 3rd, 1863. The 9th Virginia Infantry was a regiment in Brigadier General Lewis Armistead’s Brigade, under Major General George Pickett’s Division of the 1st Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Lieutenant General James Longstreet. He has been a prisoner these past nine months due to the fact that the Lincoln Administration has almost completely stopped exchanging POWs in an intentional effort to whittle down the Confederacy’s strength. Capt Henry Allen is being held at Point Lookout, Maryland, where the conditions are miserable, the prisoners face malnutrition and starvation, and disease is rampant. Most of the Confederate POWs are forced to simply live out in the open in swampy conditions along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. Thousands of Confederate soldiers died from maltreatment at Point Lookout. Capt Allen misses his family and children, who themselves are facing dire hardship. He writes yet another letter to his wife Sallie today: Dear Sallie I received to day the letter from you bearing date 4th yours of the 5th & 12th. I received some time back and promptly answered them. Yours of the 4th contained one dollar and fifty cts (1.50) also six stamps, always in writing give me the date of my letter you receive. I have often told you not to send money to me because I know you need it and you must also consider it would be some help to your Ma it seems you are all determined not to send those pictures which you could have done easily but it is now too late as they might share the fate of the box which I have never received. I got a letter from the Island to day. It may come but I expect to be away when it does. I thought Lou Tabb was at Charlotte. I suppose Mr. Gaskins is now happy. Tell dear little Ida Pa would like to see his little darling. Tell her to keep a good heart, he may see her before a great while. Three lots of officers and men have left here to be exchanged the last left on Thursday. I hope to be among the next. Did Mary get my letter? Give my love to all friends & relatives. Kiss my little darlings for me good night and may the good Lord watch over you all is the prayer of your Henry
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 02:30:54 +0000
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