Dear Father & Brothers & Sisters,

I seat myself tonight to let you no that we are all well at present time.

I hope when these few lines come to hand that you all may bee injoying the same blasying. I have nothing much to tell you. My feelings was very much mortified when I heard of sister’s death, but that is a debt we all have to pay soon or later. That is nothing strange hear. We went out on picket the other night and some one shot a man in the head and killed him dead. They have Ben Roach under guard on the crime. I don’t think that he shot him.

We take some prisoners every day or two and horses in abundnc, mules and negroes.

Miles was in the last fight-he ses that the bulets whirled mightly around him. He ses that it was just like a deer drive. Him and Joseph Mearideth was just screaming and yeling all the time. I went out at the same time but was not with them, bit I got me one sot at the linkern.

It was at one time we had nothing but crackers to eat for 40 hours.

My candle is getting short tho. Miles said tell bland bit that he was well and all the rest of you all.

I will send you all some of my hair as I have just had it cut, and this lace to An. I taken hit out of a boy that we captured.

So farewell my dear relations. May the God of Mercy guard us.

Captain Biffle
Lieutenant Coronel
Date 1861, November 4th

 

The letter is a copy of the original ones written from camp by Captain Biffle to his father, brothers, and sisters, whose names are unknown to the writer, also one by W. L. Bramly, a Confederate soldier, to his sweetheart, Miss E. C. Edwards. These letters are at present time owned by Mrs. Ed Skelton, Kimmins, Lewis County, Tennessee.  The letter written by W.L. Bramly was left Mrs. Skelton by her maternal aunt, Miss E.C. Edwards, to whom the letter was written.  W.L. Bramly served in the 2nd Battalion of the Tennessee Cavalry, under Captain Lewis.

“Lewis Co, TN Works Progress Administration Records”, transcribed by Alta Creasy Amagliani, October 2006