13th George Cavalry

Item CON-9878

Description

Original Civil War Confederate Prisoner of War letter, written in period ink from Johnson's Island, OH.
Captured near Knoxville, TN.


Johnson’s Island, Ohio
July 21st 1864

My Dear Cousin,

It is a great gratification to me to be afforded an opportunity to prevent gross abuses of your charity by answering, at once, your letter of 16th inst.. This shameless “writing out” as it is termed for clothing, money and is a contagion and not a necessity, except in rare instances, and is confined, I assure you. To that class which enjoyed fewest of these comforts at home. They do really seem to regard you as a commissary of the Head Quarters, since they apply to you for everything that’s functioning, furnishings and many things he does not. I know most of the individuals mentioned in your letter. They seem to be better clad than such people usually are when at home. And as for money, I think the ends of charity are not when they have enough to buy stationery and stamps, sufficient to maintain a correspondence with their families. I think these individuals have been in the habit of soliciting and receiving such things from others on where they have more claims than on you. I do not know Walcott and Dye. The flour would definitely be enjoyed by them. But I cannot think it necessary to their subsistence. We draw bread, beef or pork, beans or hominy and at irregular intervals, potatoes, in quantities sufficient for moderate eaters. There are some large eaters who do not get enough and good enough in quality for men in good health. You ought, by all means, to learn the actual condition of all applicants before suppling them. Otherwise, you will most surely be imposed upon. Some of these wretches are continually writing to persons whose names and addresses they learn by chance for things, perfectly indifferent as to who the person is and often get many more articles of clothing than they can use. It is disgraceful and thoroughly disgusting. They have been rebuked in publications, on the bulletin and threatened with exposure and punishment when they get home. But all to no purpose. I view them with the most supreme contempt.

Yours of the 15th came yesterday. I have written to you very frequently of late.

In haste,
Your affectionate cousin,

Thomas F. Jones Jr.