1864 West Virginia CIVIL WAR LETTER to Confederate Prisoner at Rock Island, IL
This Civil War letter was sent to Sgt. E, 8th Virginia (Confederate) Cavalry, while he was a prisoner-of-war. NOTE the scarce "Prisoner's Letter" marking on the envelope! Most times, as with this letter, the content was pretty sparse because family wasn't allowed to say much - or else the prison censors wouldn't deliver the letters to the prisoners. Similarly, prisoners weren't allowed to say much to their families.
So these letters mostly served to comfort families and prisoners that everyone was still OK and alive. Henry enlisted on February 1, 1863 into Co. He was taken prisoner in Cabell county on 6 September 1863 and sent to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio, on 17 September 1863. In mid-January 1864, he was moved to Rock Island, Illinois. Each letter has the original postal cover which indicates that has passed the official prison examination and is so stamped.
Henry was still on the prison rolls at Rock Island in mid-March 1865. He wasnt paroled until 1 May 1865. Henry was the son of James Alfred Poteet and Lucinda Turner. He was married to Amanda F. 1836 in Cabell county, Virginia. His military records indicate that Henry stood 6 ft. 2 inches tall, had grey eyes, sandy hair, and red whiskers. Poteets brother, James Poteet, also served in Co. He deserted on 12 April 1864.Potete, Prison 3, Mess 67. Cabell Court House, West Virginia January 11th 1864. Some time since I received a note from you in regard to sending you a blanket and on receipt of the note, I wrote Mrs. Brother a similar note to send [by] Gordons Express and I have not been able to get them nor have not written me as yet. Therefore, I write to you for you to inform me whether or not you got them.
Your children is well also all the family is well. Jims son Ferguson and his brigade is in Paine? County and it is so cold here, Col. Brown cant go after them. All well and hope these few lines find you well.The item "1864 West Virginia CIVIL WAR LETTER to Confederate Prisoner at Rock Island, IL" is in sale since Sunday, January 29, 2017. This item is in the category "Stamps\United States\Covers\Postal History". The seller is "cmvolz" and is located in Washington, Illinois.
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