The Civil War: Son Dies of Illness While Serving With Union Army

Letters to family from lost son and others detail his time with the Union Army, and his last illness during the Civil War.

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Telling the story of a lost son, the following letters were sent to Mrs. Remembrance Savidge during the Civil War. Her son, John, died in 1864 from an illness while serving with the Union Army.

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Port Huston, S.C. 
January 21, A.D., 1864 
My dear friend, 

It is with great pleasure that I am permitted this morning to rite you a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you, yet tho I am many miles from you while you are at home enjoying the pleasures of life and I am in what is called the sunny south standing the stormes. We will stand the stormes, it won't be long till this cruel war is over. 

I am well at this time and the rest of the boys are hoping these few lines may find you in the same state of health. Well, John, I have saw some hard times since I saw you. We have bin in 18 fights, our company has only lost two men in battle. We have bin lucky. 

The boys that you know is all well. We have lost a good meney men by sickness. We are at Port Huston. We have bin to New Orleans and 300 miles west of there. When you write, direct your letters to Co. H, 118th Il1.'s Cavalry, Department of the Gulf. 

From friend Jesse F. Bennett  
To John Savidge 

  

Mrs. Savidge, 

Sis, I take my pen in hand to Inform you of our Wellfare, and to answer your letter I received a few Days ago. We are all right on the loose. I hope this may find you all the same. Well, the first is, I think, the girls, they had better all marry While they are at it, but there is a few more left yet. Well, what Does the copperhead's folks do for a living since we left? Well, Sis, I would rather have my name recorded and afloat off every treetop In these United States that I was an Abolitionist than to have it said I was opposed to the Administration. After this was done, the copperheads, if they was Down below our line for just one month, would come back the best Union men in the World. I am In hopes they will see their folly after While. Well, enough for this time. It is very Disagreeable today, so no more. 

From W.W. Williams, as ever  
To George Savidge 
Write soon. 

  

Decatur, Alabama 
April 4 
Dear Father, 

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