Danville Va. Jan the 26/65
Dear Farther
I have concluded to Drop you a few lines I Reached this place to Day . . . [group of words illegible] all well & hartty thare is no nuse heare wourth youre attention harde times and woes coming I Could not Draw any money heare at all so I shal loose my . . . Commutation . . . without I can Draw it at my Company which I now Exspect I can Do I have not seeane Mr Cunnaday yet though I will see him in a few minerts I think I Shal Starte to Richmond at midnight tonight I Exspect to Freeze to Death this night thare is but few men going to the army now thare is not a man going on the Trane to night that I Know Farther 1 send you a fine Comb by Greene for Martha Turner price $12.00 thare is the same Rumers heare in Regards to peace that thare is in Franklin all without foundation
I can See nothing to induce the beleafe that thare will be a Speedy peace our Govement intends to hold out as long as possible which will be some time yet Uncle Flem is writing & he will give you all the nuse I shal starte Greene home in the morning whither he Ever gets thare or not I Shal not see Old Franklin any moore till this Cruel war Ends which will be over 12 monts I think
I have nothing moore to say at present you Shal heare from me a gain soon you must write soon &c &c
this is the Coldest night I Ever saw I look for water to freeze betweeane me and my wife to night
F. M. Prillaman
Mr. A. H. Turner & Martha E. T. Dear Brother & Sister I recd yours of the 3d of May I was glad to hear that you both was blest with helth you spoke of James Ingram being low with a disease of the Heart, which one of them is it? you also sayd that Caroline Turner ___ with the Liver Complaint I am sorry to hear of it, also Cozin Thos H. Prillaman I am surprised at Farther not saying something of it I and Cozin James Martin heard of it in a Letter that he got, but we did not believe it, you all not saying something of it in your former Letters, Andrew you speak of taking (Rick?) in hand I thank you, any thing you think best for me do it, if it soots you I am glad you have took my cow if any body had to have her. hem her up in the corner of the fence at the milking place & you get you a flail & mak her stand a few times, & if that does not brake her fatten her this fall, & kill her, I always told Farther that she would be hard to manage, Andrew we are Expecting a fight soon. I stood Picket a few nights ago and it was dark as ink & Raining I liked to have froze I lay on the ground to kep the yankeys or Union from seeing me. my gun dark as it was shined like fire I had on a white hat & one of the old Souldiers told me to lay low if any thing had come up the Raleigh Road that night he would have got it, thare was 11 of us, & 20 or 30 scouts way down on Blew Stone, below us, in case in case of an advance our orders was to Bush-whack them till the Brigade could get in line Andrew we have 6 peaces of cannon (Bryants Battery) one Steel Rifle Peace, one Brass Rofle Peace & the others is smooth, but large, they are rifled as good as a squirel rifle. Marth you must visit Jane as often as convenient, I got but little time to write, Lieut Via is (of this com) a candidate to Represent Boon, Wyoming, & Roan in the next general assembly of Va, Andrew in my weak judgement thare will be no Peace soon, but still thare is a time to all things, if fighting has to be done I am in
With the Highest Respect for you Both
Gabriel Prillaman
May 11 63
Sunday 10 oclock
Camp Princeton May 11th 1863
I wrote George & Exony a Letter last week
Dear Farther & Mother I Recd your letter of the 3d Inst it was mailed the 5th so it came from Prillamans in 3 days the quickest I ever have got one from you. I also Recd one of the same date from Andrew & Marth of the same date & at the same time they wase Both of interest to me I thank you both for them. Farther I get the mail evry day. I herd of that great Batle at Chanclorsville 2 days after it was fought the yankeys is badly whipt. But it cost us dearly; Thank God my helh is good as common. I am glad of you all being well. I have not failed to do duty yet not a time when caled on Guarde, Pickett, Scout, or any thing els for almost 4 months. The Right wing of Gen Joneses army had a fight at Lewisburg a few days ago. we repulsed them. You say Farther George is 18 the 29 of May, if he is he will be obliged to go to the Army immediately, if he is disposed to come out her I will do the best for him I can you misteryfy me by saying that Brother Ike has to go before another Board the 8-9 of May how many boards do you have thare a month if Ike is subject again so is T. S. Helms. Thare is meeting in 40 steps of me this minute it continurs day & night. I understand that thare is 123 mourners & 80 professions Farther I get Plenty to ate Bacon, Flour, Sugar, Rice, Peas, corne meal &c. But I do want some milk vary badyou have not explained to me how come you by that money you got by the sale of the Brown Hill. Unkle Fleming Sold his stears well, he also sold his Tessy Place well but I am surprised at his prefering money to Land; Farther write to me whether I have a sheep or not & how many? if Ike has to go to the Army tell him I think this place will soot him better than the East. Give Caroline, Lid & Nance my Love. Farther continue to write to me . the woods is dead yet here , but the grass is not, it is nearly half (as?) high (as whate?).
With High Respect for you Both, G Prillaman
July 30 1864
Delavan Hospital Charlottesville Va Ward M
Dear Brother I will give you the news this morning I can inform you that I recvd your kind letter of 18 inst I am Glad to hear that you can get to stay in Franklin Co by yet it will afford you & (Creilent?) the oppertunty of sprking the Girls I should like to be with you I was at home & enjoying myself when you was tramping the war path know you have got my place & I yours Flem when I was at hom I did not appeciate the suffering of the Soldier but know I am fuly acquinted with all the suffering & dangers to which the Soldier is exposed you want to know where & how Gabe is I left Gabe at the Big Tunnel 9th of June I have not heard indivigily from him since there was a man from my Regt com hear last night he was wounded at Kernstown las Sundy the Regt has bin in 2 fights since I left it the Regt was at the Storning of Maryland hights it is in M. D. Know if I hear from Gabe I will let you know it at the fight at New Hope I fought through the fight but as I was about to get away without getting hurt a bum shell burst near me & knocked the very smoke through me it caused me to puke up a little blood & feel foolish for several day I was alledy ded before I went into the fight I had been sick at Christiansburg & had marched for 3 days & nights nearly all the time when the bum shell were flying round me as thick as hale I was squated down behind a rail pile at one time & went fast asleep but I was soon waked Just at that time the yanks made a desperate charge & carried our left senter they pord through the gap the ___ Regt had left got on our left our boys ralied & made a desperate stand but the yanks run up in our lines & fought hand to hand for 15 minutes the Rebs finley broke every man taking care of himself we had to run about 50 yards & (splung?) the Shannandoah River then up through a corn field & the yanks just giveing it to us we made a good fight but got badley whiped Capt Morgan is a good a man as I ever saw by nature he puts me in mind of (Sum?) he carried me on his own 5 miles & then made & old sitizen get of his fine horse & let me ride the night after the fight about midnight he said d-m if he went any further so we go in & ould hous till day the yanks did not disturb us that night but made us get up & get the next day I am sorry to hear of so grate a drouth in Franklin it cannot be no worse than it is hear it is imposable for there to be more than 1/3 of a corn crop maide in this section I see in the papers that the drouth is wors in the North if posable than it is hear I see some ____ patches of corn that wold burn if fier were put to it I see men from the southern (States?) every weake thay Say ther is good crops ther & plenty wet this is the wormest day that has bin hear this year if I stay hear till fall you must come & See me you could come & go in a weake now is the time for you to Mary while there is no one to oppose you Flem though I know it is not worth while to Say anything about it but I want to come home very badly I want to see you all I want to see those merry Girles that I have Spent So many hapy days with I wold like to See those hills that surround our ones hapy home those old hills that stands defiant against the decay of time I want this ware to end So I can return & be at peace with all man kind but thes ar days of tryals dangers & distress & I shall try to make the best of it I shall nether dodg nor dare danger Let it come as it will I am little Ike still I was So glad to see John Ray he took me on supprise he bings me som valuable infurmation from Franklin thing that I had wanted to know very bad that I could not right about he brout me half quier of paper 30 envelopes plug of Tobaco & dozen apples 4 ginger oaks & have got 10 dollars yet I thank Marth very much for sending me that money if I ever get the chance I will return the faver I never have ask for a furlough because it want worth while the good streak has not come round to me yet I intend to apply for a furlogh when Falkner gets back if I stay hear till then I believe. the Doctor is in a tolerable Goog umer with me furlowing gose by faver hear (I Recievd a letter from you 1 from Lydia one from Calie by John Ray John will not leave hear for som days ___ I will mail this letter I was sorry to hear of the death of George Stanley & John McGuffin Flem Ther came in a lot of wounded men last night & I cold not finish my lenghty letter I am not so very well this morning I could not sleep last night it was so warm I am going to right Chris & George to day if it dos not get too hot ther was a threat to rain hear last eavening but did not raise a nough to wet a silk hankechief the corn is tausling out about waist hy & dry as dry as a (bladestac?) in December right and give me the news this is quite a Lenthy letter for a cribler but I have not riten half what I want to I hope we will get to talk it all over before long I think this ware has reached its worst at least I hope so With my Best Respect to mother Farther & Sisters
I Remain your Brother & Friend
Isaac Prillaman
This is my Address July 1 1864
Delavan Hospital Ward M Charlottesvill Va
Dear Farther
I shall try to give you a sketch of this eventfull period of my life my health is good except the Dispeptia I am am yet at this place do not know how long I shall stay hear I have not heard from hom since I left and am antious to hear from you all I want to know the fate of my brothers in the Eastern army all so if anything strang has occurd in my Neighborehood what has becom of Ucle Flem Sam & March (-->Marth?) Prillaman I learn the the yankees has bin up in your section I hope thay my get exterminated before thay get back this is & (awful?) ware there seem to be no chance for peace soon. The Rebs cant give it up and the yankees wont give it up as long as thay get men & money if nothing els but want of supplis stops this war it will last 10 years yet for I have (lernt?) from experance that we can live without eating we get plenty to eate hear but dont in the army at times it has not rained hear for a month the gardens & corn ar suffering rite how you crop looks ___ ____ as I cant get to see you soon I will rite to you I can see you in my immagination can hear you call abe (or?) (cabib?) or see you puling weads to feed your pig will mother smoke your pipe & do what shame is good to you for fretting & grieving dont pay thes times shall wee meet again I think we will though it may be a long time off. have your sugar cane cultivated good for me to eate if I get a furlough next winter I am out of clothing but you cant send me non know pravably ther will be a chance to send me some when I get to my Regt if you dont it maks no diffrance for I dont suffer with could on the groun without anything under or on me tell Mary & Harva they must make them corn anough to keep my colt this winter & I will pay them for it. at to my other stock if ther is no chance to keep the exchng them for Somthing that dont eate I dont mean money for it aint know count hear & no wher els you had beter keep thing (sturing?) for next year it will bee needed raise vegitable I could eate a pect of potatoes if had them hear now Nannie I Send you the address of 2 young fellows that ar wounded & staing hear we ar going to rite each other when the war breaks up if we survive the ware & get together and travil thar ar devlish little felows but perfect gentlemen I will also send you the Official Report of Hunter of the fight at Piedmont it is about correct in the hole Nannie what sort of time you had at the assisiation how was ther none of you has not rote to me yet if you dont rite to me when I get home I will pull your ears I expect ther is a heap of deserters in the county at this time ther was several left my Regt the night we left Christiansburg Nan I hav not Dremp about home since I left I try to dream of you all but acant Dream nothing but one thing that is about Tom Prillaman & James Lesueur I Dremp Tom com hear I was glad to see him but he wold not tell me nothing so it don me no good Nan give my Respect to Jane & Salie tell them I still Rember ther kindness to me tell them to rite to me how thar ar getting on farming & this is the last letter I shall rite till I get an answer for I have rote about 30
Calie I went up to the university last sunday its paintings liberry musium & fine building make it one of the most interesting places that I ever saw ther was men full life size & as much like a living man as a man himself also birds snaks & animals rite how your Garden looks weed it out good for roses & weeds cant gro together since I came to this place the ladies brigs cherries flowers milk & ever thing that is good but ther is so many hear that no one gets much I saw a man from 57th Regt that said J. W. Ross was killed the other day he said he saw him ling dead on the field he belong to the same Co. I dont believe though it may be so you nead not say anything a bout it for it may not be so (Upon?) a man told me Chris was killed the next day thay say another way
My Best Respect to all
your absent friend
Isaac Prillaman
PLEASE NOTE: I stopped updating the web page around 2001, but I've continued to work on my project. My family history is now in Word document format, with the goal of publishing it once I consider it to be as complete as I'm going to get it. While I'm greatly indebted to those who have assisted me in my research, I'm finding that the demands of everyday life don't allow me to consistently respond to email inquiries. So, I'm offering my most up-to-date volume for sale, at a price of $19. For those interested, it is at 118 pages right now, printed by a laser printer on 8.5x11 32-lb./98 brightness paper, and wire bound. The table of contents, revision history, and index are available at the following links. To order a copy, please email me at [email protected], and I'll send it within 3 days of payment. If you indicate the family line you are interested in, I'll send you a new bound copy if and when I update my research for that line. Thanks,
Jay
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