2nd North Carolina Infantry and 5th & 6th North Carolina Cavalry - POW Letter

Item CON-9404

Description

Original Civil War Confederate Prisoner of War letter, written from Johnson's Island, OH and in period ink.



Johnson’s Island, Ohio

November 16, 1864

My Own Dear Mollie,

I have had not letter from you since yours of September 30, received October 28th and answered October 31st. The time seems long but I hope I’ll hear soon as the Southern mail has been arriving for the last two days. I have continued to write to you once a week until last week, when I wrote to Sissie, addressed to you.

I wish I had something cheerful to write you, and although I do not feel very desponding, nonetheless, when I come to express my feelings to my friends, I find I’ve nothing cheerful to say. My heart is sometimes buoyant and hopeful. When again, the surging billows of adversity almost engulf my desponding soul and is with an effort that keeping my sinking spirits above the angry waves of despair.

I sometimes, notwithstanding the unpleasant surroundings, have a few hours of recreation from the throes of prison life, by indulging in hilarity and merriment. But such things are little angels’ visits. There are 45 of us in one room. Mostly intelligent men, only one of the whole 45 uses profane language. And among the crowd there are many professors of religion of all denominations. Religious devotions in the room regularly every night. But the most peculiar feature of all is, not two out of the whole 45 can ever agree upon the same subject. The result is continual argument, all talking at the same time, no two on the same subject and no one listening to the remarks of the other. But all going it blind, all at the same time and his own look.

We have Generals, diplomats, statesmen, Divines, Naturalists, Agriculturalists, Lawyers, Doctors, and of every other profession and calling imaginable. Imagine them all engaging in an animated “Bow wow” and you can form some idea of the monotony of prison life. The subject more extensively discussed than any other and less in the practice of that of eating, but I find it does no good to talk of such things as it brings arguments about that we have no menas of allaying. I am looking my eyes out for some boxes from home. But it seems that I am bound to look in vain. As I see no signs of my hopes terminating in future.

All well as usual, no hope of exchange or manunition. God bless you my dear Mollie.

Ever and Devotedly Yours,

Virgil Stuart Lusk