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Letters of Lt. Andrew M. Aston,
Co. K, 16th Alabama Infantry
These letters appear here by the kind generosity of Monya Havekost, great-great granddaughter of Lt.
Andrew Milligan Aston and Manerva Jane Morton. The letters are in descending order
of date -- the first was written on the day before the battle of Fishing
Creek. Lt. Aston was killed in action during the battle.
Mills Springs, Ky.
Jan. 18, 1862
Dear Mrs. Manurva Aston:
It is with great pleasure that I can inform you that I and Bob [Robert A. Morton - Mrs.
Aston's brother] are in good health yet and trust God at the reception of these lines you
and family will be in good health. Bob received a letter last night that bore the date of
the 3rd of this instant from Hugh that stated that you were all well, which gave me much
satisfaction. It was the first letter we had received in six weeks from any of you.
Hugh [Lt. Aston's brother] wrote to Bob that he was coming to the war. I want you to tell
him that I want him to stay right there with you until I come home as he promised to do
and then if we can make any other arrangements he can come then. I am going to come home
some time in next month if I can possibly get off and I sort o' think I can. We can't
start here and go home any time we want to go. Manurva, you may be sure that I would be
glad to come home to see you and the children, altho' I have stood it first rate, so far.
If the boats would start to running up here regular I think there would be a chance to get
to go home at most any time.
I have no more news to write to you that would interest you at all. I suppose you have
heard that we have had a big fight at Montasilo. That is all a mistake. We have not had a
one yet and I don't think we will have one this winter unless it is by the Pickets.
There is a right smart of sickness here amongst the boys. Tell Thomas Berryhill that Bob
has the fever, but I don't think very dangerous. Also Parker Spann has it, Sam Harris and
John Gann, tho' the most of them are on the mend. There are some others complaining but
not down. Of our neighbors boys tell their parents that I will do all I can for the boys.
I don't think any of them are dangerous.
Give my respects to all of the friends and reserve a good portion for yourself.
Write soon to me. I must close for breakfast is ready, so farewell, my dear, for this
time.
A. M. Aston
Beach Camp, Kentucky
Jan. 3, 1862
Dear Brother [Hugh Aston]:
I take this method of informing you that I am well, and Robert [Morton], also. There is
some sickness in our camp. Lou Humphries is yet sick. I am not staying with him tonight.
He is no better. Bart Harris is getting well and David Wheeler is getting better of his
sickness. Mr. Adkins I guess told you that all of the boys were sick. Our company reported
18 on the sick list this morning, tho' none of them are dangerous. There is Newt, Jack and
Robert Berryhill somewhat puny and Parker Spann. That's all that are sick in our
neighborhood or that was all when I left camp. I felt a little bad this morning and J. N.
Watson and I went out to where W. S. Humphries was and they had some brandy out there, so
I took a few drinks of that and I think it helped me right smartly. I have not gone back
to camp tonight for it is raining.
I will give you some of the news of the day. Yesterday morning we were ordered to cook up
3 days rations to start out to Jamestown to run the Yankees off from there, but we have
not gone yet, nor I don't know whether we will go or not. If they do go, I am going with
them.
We are doing very well here now. The most of the boys have got their houses up and moved
into them. Bob [R. A. Morton] and I have moved in to our house. Wm. Johnson and James Reed
have gone into our mess and Johnsons' negro is cooking and doing for me.
Manurva, I can't say exactly when Bob or me will come home, but one or the other of us
will come the first furloughing that is done. We have not heard any more about furloughing
since Mr. Adkins left here, in our Regiment. But the Tennessee Regiments have been
furloughing all this week. I think our Regiment will go to furloughing in a few days, if
we stay here. But, I don't believe we will stay here all the winter for I think we'll go
further down the river toward Nashville.
I don't know whether you can read this or not for I have no pen that will write scarcely
at all.
I will stop for tonight and give you the news in the morning.
Jan. 4th: I have gotten back to camp this morning and found everthing right. It is still
raining.
Tell David Lee's family that he is well and tell Moses Harris that I would like to get a
letter from him.
I want you to write to me who all let you have cotton in the way of debts. If you have not
gotten Thad Webb's cotton tell Silas to fetch it from him here at 2 1/2 cents per pound
and give him credit for the cotton when it is delivered. Jack Berryhill has paid me his
account.
I want you to write often for I like to hear from home often. I shan't ask F. A. Harton
[probably Franklin A. Morton] to write to me anymore.
Farewell for this time.
A. M. Aston
December 28, 1861
(Camp) Beach Grove (near Mills Springs, Kentucky)
Dear Mrs. Manurva Aston:
I can inform you that I and Bob are in good health which I thank God for his blessings
toward us and I also ask him every day to be with you and the children, that you may be in
good health until I can see you all again.
I have not time, Manurva, to write you but a few lines for Mr. Adkins is going to start
home this morning. I will send you forty dollars by him to get anything you need until I
come home. I know you must have salt and coffee and as to pork - if you have any to buy I
don't want you to give more than nine cents for it, unless you can get it in the way of
debts, for I can buy it up here and send it to Tuscumbia cheaper than you can get it
there. I can get pork here for 5 cts. and as soon as boats get to running I can send it to
Tuscumbia, via Tennessee River, then you can send after it. I will get enough for you and
father both if you can't get it there in the way of debts.
Hugh, I want you to send me Thad Webbs, Wm. Mosses, Sam Harris’, D. and John Whites'
accounts, and all the rest of the boys that you can think of. There was a good deal of
some of the accounts charged to their fathers. Anything that was charged to their fathers
by them put it to their accounts. I want you to write to me what John Gann lacked of
paying up his account and send me the balance of the amount and his son, John, says that
he will pay the balance for him, to me.
I want you to write often. Direct your letters as you have been to Knoxville, Tenn.
I must close for this time so goodbye.
Mr. Adkins can tell you all that is going on here.
A. M. Aston
Kentucky
Dec. the 9, 1861
Dear Mrs. Manurva Aston:
By the help of God this morning I can inform you by the pen that I and Bob is in good
health which I thank our Maker for his mercies extended towards us and I hope that he will
bless you and all of the children with good health until the time comes that I may return
home to you again.
Manurva, I would be very glad to see you all. that is a matter of course altho' I am very
well satisfied here, more so than I expected to be. I enjoy myself finely. All the dread
that is on my mind is I am afeared that you and the children will not keep well and that
you will suffer yourself too much uneasiness abut us. Manurva, don't suffer yourself to
see any more uneasiness about us than you possibly can help for we are honestly doing
well. If I knew that you were doing as well I would be satisfied. I have not got any
letter from any of you in some time. The last one I got from any of you was dated the 10th
of last month which is one month ago tho' I feel just like that I will get one today. We
have daily mails here. I don't know whether you get any letters from us or not but I write
one every week myself and Bob writes some.
We have moved since I wrote you last but we have not moved more than three miles. We have
got across the Cumberland River tho' the whole brigade is not across yet. They will all
get across in a day or two and then I think we will march on. We are throwing up breast
works across the bend of the river so if we have to retreat back that we can get in behind
our breast works in the bend of the river and the Yankees can't get to us at all for we
can keep them out. We are now in one mile of where the Yankees was 4 days ago. As soon as
we commenced crossing the river they retreated in double quick in the night. The same
night that we commenced crossing they retreated back about 14 miles to Sumerset. Would not
be much surprised that they have left Sumerset this morning.
For our cavalry only 300 of them went up there yesterday and run in their cavalry pickets
and run on their infantry pickets and attached them and killed 13 of them and taken 17
prisoners and brought them in to our camp last night a little after dark. They have taken
them to headquarters this morning. I have not heard yet what they have done with them tho'
they will not turn them loose I don't think. The prisoners all say they belong to the 27th
Ohio Regiment.
Our cavalry run right up in to their camps. They took one man inside of their guard line
and while they were forming the line of battle our cavalry wheeled about and got away.
That was a tolerable bold step. They run in on them on a surprise. If they had all of our
cavalry and went they say they could have taken every one of them. They say they did not
look like there was not more than three or four thousand of them. The prisoners say there
is about five thousand of them. We have about 2 thousand cavalry here and there is 700
more that has not come, yet.
9:00 A.M. - We did not get nary man killed in the scrummage yesterday and but one wounded.
He was shot through the thigh but did not break it. He killed the man that shot him. He
killed him after he was taken a prisoner. We had nary one taken prisoner. We had 3 horses
killed and several wounded.
I am of the opinion yet that we will not get any fight yet only by the scurmishing parties
unless we go to Lexington or Louisville. I think they will all retreat back to them two
points. Bucker has whipped them out at Bolling Green and got that in our possession. [Gen.
Simon Boliver Buckner at Bowling Green, KY]
We have had the warmest and pleasantest winter that I nearly ever saw. It is warm enough
here now to go in our shirtsleeves. There is as many changes here in the weather as I ever
saw at home.
I will just say to all of the friends of the boys that is out here that they are all well
and enjoy themselves finely. They are not near as bad homesick as they were two months
ago. Tell all of my friends to write to me for I like to read a letter from any of them. I
am busy here nearly all of the time that I can't write to all of them.
Manurva, give my respects to all of the friends and reserve a good portion for yourself so
farewell, my dear.
A. M. Aston
Mills Springs, Kentucky
December 1, 1861
Dear brother:
I can gladly inform you that I am well, also all the other boys are well. I hope at
reception of these lines you and all of the rest of the family will be well.
I cannot give you a correct account of what we are going to do. We have gotten here close
to the Cumberland River and stopped. We are now within 11 miles of where the Lincoln
forces are stationed. They are right up the river on the other side. Their pickets and
ours fire at each other every day across the river. They have sunk the boats on the river
so that we can't cross. We got here this morning and now we have set in to building boats
this evening so that we can cross. From the best information that we can get there are
about 5 or 6 thousand of them up there. All we can find out now about what we are going to
do is to guess at it, for everything will be kept as near a secret as possible, tho' I
think that we will cross the river down here, go up to where they are and scare them out
from where they are for they have been retreating back from us. We have passed several of
their camps for the last week. I have no idea that they will stand where they are and give
us a fight. I think as soon as we cross the rive they will leave where they are, tho' they
may not. But if this Brigade does get into a fight I am afraid they will not let our
Regiment into it for they say that we are all the three year volunteers there are in the
Brigade and we will be kept back for a reserve, if there is any fighting. I believe nearly
everyone of our boys are real keen to get into it and they are going into it if there is
any chance.
Hugh, I will write to you again in a few days. I am not able to say when any of us will
get to come home. Hugh, I want you and Manurva to try to keep everything straight or as
near as you can until I come home. Manurva, anything you need to live on I want you to buy
it and I will send money home by the first chance to pay for what you get.
Manurva, I would be the proudest in the world to see you and the children this evening. I
want you to kiss Walter for me, if you please. Tell all of the children to be good until I
come home. i aim to come home in January if there is any possible chance.
Write to us often. So, goodbye for this time.
A. M. Aston
State of Tennessee
November 24, 1861
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Offer my love and respect to you all. I am well at present, hoping when these lines come
to hand they may find you all well, sister. A. M. Aston is well, as well please as could
be expected. I can say to you that I do want to see you and the children very bad.
We have started to write a letter but have just received marching orders and can't write
much.
We are now 10 miles north of Jamestown, in six miles of the Kentucky line. I think we will
go to Burksville. That is on the Cumberland river. There is water navigation from there to
Nashville. We are getting nigher home than we were.
Still direct your letters to Knoxville. This isn't a real letter.
The boys are all well. Our health has gotten first rate since we got to traveling about.
We are not yet able to say when any of us will get to go home, tho' as soon as we take up
winter quarters. I think we will stop in about 50 miles of here. We will be in about 75
miles north of Nashville.
We get letters from some of our friends in that neighborhood every few days. We will write
as soon as we stop.
Yours affectionately & truly
Goodbye we have to start.
R. A. Morton &
A. M. Aston
Jacksburough, Tenn.
Nov. 11, 1861
Dear Mrs. Manurva Aston:
I once more take the pleasure to inform you that I am well and bob, also. In short, all
the neighbor boys are in first rate health. I never had had any better health in my life
than I have had since I left home.
The last time I received a letter from H. C. Aston, was day before yesterday, which bore
the date of the 27th of last month. I was exceedingly glad when I saw the sentence in it
that stated that you were all well.
We are 40 miles west of the Cumberland Gap, at a little town called Jacksburough. It is
the county seat of Cambron County. At what is called the Huntsville Gap we went 3-1/2
miles further west to Wheeler Gap, and yesterday we moved back up to this point. We are in
about 8 miles of the Kentucky line. We had started down to Jamestown where there was a
battle expected last week but we had orders to stop here. We are about half way between
Big Creek Gap and Wheeler Gap. We are now only 38 miles from Knoxville. I don't know, but
I am under the impression that we will take up winter quarters here, tho' I don't know yet
whether we will or not. The talk is now that the remainder of our Regiment will come here
to us, the last of this week or the first of the next.
Manurva, I have thought for the last two weeks that we would stand a good chance to get
into a fight, but now I don't think there is any chance to get a fight this winter.
We have a pretty location here for our camps. I would be glad that we would take up here
for the winter.
I am unable to say, yet, when any of the boys will be home. There will not be any
furloughing done until we take up winter quarters. Tho' after that there will be abut one
fourth of the company furloed at a time, until we all get to go home that want to go. I
don't think I will come, myself until about the first of January, if I and you all keep
well.
When you write to us direct your letter to Knoxville as you did when we stayed there.
Only, make the change from the 15th regiment to the 16th.
I have no more news that will interest you at all.
I think that we will go to throwing up breast works here about tomorrow. We got here last
night. We were the first Regiment here, but there have been two more Regiments come in
here today, already. I don't know how many more are coming here.
Hugh, you write to me something abut B. F. Berryhill's cotton. I have nothing more against
him, only that note, th' I was to have a lien on his cotton to settle the debt with W. W.
Webster. I want you to go see Ben and tell him if don't stand up to me this time when I am
not there, I will lose all confidence in him. Tell him if he doesn't let me have the
cotton after promising it to me I will think hard of him about it.
Hugh, I want you to send me the amount of all the boys accounts that are here with me and
at Knoxville, too. A good many of them want to pay off here. I think I can got one or two
hundred dollars here if I had the amount of their accounts. You need not draw off their
accounts. Just send the amount and if there is any mistake it can be rectified here. After
I get the money I will send it home by the first chance. Manurva, I want to send you some
money to get your necessities with, by the first chance. Bob and I drew sixty dollars
awhile back and there is about a hundred more due us now. We will get it in a few days. We
want to send it home as we get it, for we don't want to keep any more here with us than we
will be obliged to spend.
Manurva, I want you to get some person to make me 10 yds. of fine grey jeans, as fine as
it can be made. It does not matter about the price. I want it for a uniform. I want you to
have it made as soon as you can. I may send for it before I come home and if I do, have it
ready.
I have written to you once a week every since I left home.
Tell F. A. Aston I have not heard from him since I left home. I would like to hear from
him.
Goodbye,
A. M. Aston
Comberland Gap, Ky.
October 28, 1861
Dear brother, bride, family connections & frinds, generally:
I gladly can inform you this Sabbath morning that I and Bob are well and enjoying first
rate health and all the rest of the boys are also, that is, the ones with me, with the
exception of J. N. Watson and Wm. Walker. They are somewhat puny but not bad off.
We reached this point night before last. We are about one mile north of the Cumberland
Gap, over in the Kentucky side. We have crossed the mountain and had started to the
Cumberland Ford but they have stoped us here and I don't expect we will go any farther,
but I don't know.
We hear from the Ford every day two or three times. It is genrally supposed that General
Zallicaffer will come back here to the Gap to station tho' he is going to give the Yankees
a fight at the Ford now in a few days, I think and if he gets defeated there he will
retreat back here to the Gap where we are. It is but 14 miles. There are but 1500 of us
here at the Gap. We are getting the place very well fortified now. They are working here
day and night throwing up brest works and fixing their Batteries. The situation that we
have here one thousand men can whip twenty thousand for it is impossible for them to get
to us, for we can commence firing on them by the time they get in 3 miles of us and for
one mile up the mountain there is but one way just big enough for a wagon to go and fit
the Yankees come that near to us we have full view to them. We can kill them faster than
they can fall. I don't apprehend that we are in any danger here at this place tho' there
is some prospect of fighting here in Kentucky.
I have not heard from the balance of our company since we left Knoxville tho' we will hear
in a day or two. We left our Captain down there to draw our money for us and he has not
come up yet. Humphries and myself taking charge of the Company and brought them on. Nearly
all of the Captains are behind yet. They will be here today or tomorrow.
I wrote you a letter since we left camp at Knoxville that I suppose you get, in which I
stated who all of the boys were along. I received your letter bore date of Oct. 17th,
stating that you all were well that were well when I left home and those that were sick
were getting better. I was very uneasy about you and John until I received that letter but
that gave me a great deal of satisfaction.
I am very well satisfied here. The only thing that will render me any uneasiness is that I
am afraid you all at home will not keep well.
Tell Mr. Harris to write to me and all of the rest. When you write direct your letters to
the Cumberland Gap, Kentucky, 16th Ala. Regiment in the place of the 15th. They have
changed our Regiment to the 16th.
You wrote to me that you had my corn all gathered. I was glad to hear that.
Hugh, I want you to send me my little Sunday hat.
I will write again soon. I will try to send Bob home some time between the 15th and last
of November.
Bob sends his respects to you all. I will close so farewell for this time.
A. M. Aston
Knoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 20, 1861
Dear Bride,
I take the present opportunity of informing you and family and friends that I and Bob and
all the rest of the friends are well at present and trust in God you are the same.
I had first rate luck in getting along after I left home until I got to Knoxville where
the boys were and found all of them a great deal better than they were when I left them to
go home. I had good luck in getting my goods shipped. I got them all save here and nothing
missing. Mr. Hollis' clothing has not gotten here yet.
There was a good deal of talk after I got back of us moving up to Cumberland Ford, up in
Kentucky. There are now forty of each company in our Regiment now started. We stared
yesterday evening and went 4 miles and struck camp and we are here yet. I don't know when
we will leave here. Some think we will go on tomorrow evening and some think we will be
ordered
back to where the rest are. Nearly all of our neighbor boys are along with me. All but the
Berryhill Boys, D. D. Memin, D. Wheeler, Thad Webb, Bob Moss and Bill Moss. They stayed. I
do not know where we will go.
I can't give you but very little more news. I don't think there is but little chance now
for us to get into a fight this winter. They are going to keep us behind to guard the
points behind. The rest of the army are not treating us right, I don't think, for we want
to see some of the fun in fighting the Yankees, too, as well as the rest.
J. N. Watson has resigned his office and the vacancy was filed by Bankhead and his by
Humpries and I was appointed third lieutenant by the colonel. I wanted it to be left to a
vote but the Colonel would not allow it to be done.
I will write to you again as soon as I find out where we are going. You can still direct
your letters to Knoxville until you find out whether we have left there or not. If we have
left there they will be forwarded on after us. I have not time to write any more so
farewell for this time.
A. M. Aston
David Lee says to tell his wife that he is well and is going on with me. He would like to
see her and the children very well and he expects to come just as soon as he can get off.
A. M. Aston
Knoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 22, 1861
Dear Bride,
I once more take this method of informing you that I and Bob are well at present. Hoping
at the reception of these lines you and all of the children will be well. I understood the
other day that one of the children was snake bitten, but did not hear which one it was.
Captain Powers got a letter from his brother at Jasper and he said he was over in our
neighborhood and heard it. He said it was not dangerous.
We have not gotten a letter from any of you since we left home. I am getting very anxious
to hear from you and all of the rest. I am afraid that some of you are sick. If I knew you
all were well I would be much better satisfied. I am a great deal better satisfied here
than I expected to be.
I have had the chills since I came here but I have gotten shut of them I have not had one
since Mr. Brown left here. I am getting fat. There is a good deal of sickness in camp,
tho' most measles. I will give you names of our neighbor boys that are sick and the most
of them are at the hospital - Newton and Charlie Berryhill, Bob Berryhill, Billy Walker,
J. N. Watson, D. and John White, Huts Chambliss and John Gann all have measles. John Pulim
has got the fever and Ashbury Chambliss has the dropsy. Both of the last names are
terribly bad off. Them that have the measles are doing fine.
We are going to move from where we now are. Part of our Regiment moved yesterday and we
will move tomorrow. We are going to move over to guard the magazine. It is tow miles over
the other side of town.
Still direct your letters to Knoxville as you did before, if you have written any. I want
you to write to me once a week, anyhow and I will do the same. I have but little more news
to write to you.
The most of the troops have left here and gone up to Cumberland Gap, near the Kentucky
line. They had a little scrimmage up there day before yesterday, tho' but little damage
was done. I think when our Regiment gets able we will be ordered thereto guard that point.
I have just returned from preaching, Manurva, - I want you and Hugh to try to keep
everything straight as nigh as you can. Hugh, I want you to buy all the cotton that you
can and be governed by the market prices. Give a little more than that in the way of debts
but don't promise any money for cotton unless you think you can sell some for the money. I
will engage all of the boys cotton that are here with me. As far as they are owing, I want
you to have all of their accounts drawn off against I come home.
I have not seen the Colonel yet about getting a substitute in my place for a month or two.
I expect to see him in a few days on that subject and if I can send you I will come home
about the 15th of November and if not I will come home on a furlough in 3 or 4 weeks to
see you all.
Hugh, I want you and Father to buy all the corn that you can in the way of debts if you
can't get cotton. I have seen up here that cotton bears a fine price.
Parson Powers stated in his letter to Captain Powers that he understood that the captain
had resigned his office and I was elected captain of our company and that there was 12
hundred dollars made up for our company and was given to Captain Powers to pay out for the
Company and he had kept 6 hundred dollars of it back and had not paid it out. The captain
is badly hurt about it. He got me to write back there and find out how the news got there.
I want you to find out how it got there and write to me about it, for it is all a mistake,
to my knowledge.
Some of the boys have just returned from town and the telegraph news there is that our
folks took the Washington City yesterday but they could not tell much about it. I am
fearful it is not so.
Manurva, tell James and Mat to write to me and write whether you have heard from Silmon
and all of the rest of them since we left or not. I have not room to write any more, so I
remain you affectionate husband until death.
A. M. Aston
Sept. 17th
Knoxville, Tenn.
My dear daughters and sons,
I will drop you a few lines by Mr. Brown.
I can't say that I'm well for I have the chills every other day. I never took any medicine
until Yesterday. My last chill was so light that I hardly knew I had one. I am now going
to take care of myself until I get well. I can control myself in everything unless it is
in my eating. I am hungry all of the time. I weigh 8 lbs more now than I did when I left
home.
I will not write much now for Mr. Brown can tell you all of the particulars. This is to
Florentine and John and the next letter I write will be to your mother and Martha. John, I
want you and Florentine to be good children and not run abut too much. Work good and mind
your mother and Uncle Hugh and do what they tell you. Be sure and don't forget what I told
you before I left.
Tell F. A. Harton [sic. probably Franklin A. Morton] I wish he could get on some Sunday
morning & come over here and take dinner with us. I am going to have bacon &
cabbage & various other nice snacks for dinner. Frank, I think if I stay here 12
months I will be as fat as you are.
I want you all to write to me.
Manurva, if Mr. Brown comes back I want you to make Bob [Robert A. Morton] and me one
every day shirt apeice and send it by him to us. Tell Hugh [Hugh C. Aston] to send 2 of
the knit shirts and charge one of them to Bob and the other to D. D. Menninn.
We have not gotten a letter from any of you since we left home.
Manurva, I would like to see you and the children mighty well not.
Your friend truly
A. M. Aston
Sept the 4 1861
Knoxville Tenn
Dear father & mother & all of the connections
I can inform you that I am well but hav been sick for the last 3 days but have got well
All the boys nearly has had the dereah there is a great many got the measles in camps they
are sending them out to the horspittle this eavning from the fact it looks like Rain they
ar mity well treated thare I am very well satisfied here with our location I am no getting
to beleave that we will not get to be in nery Battle I would like to get to Bee in one
small Battle we hear the news here everyday & I think oure folks will be in Posession
of Washington Sity in less that 10 dyas & that will nearly wind up the Shoe Johnson is
now in merylan with 160 thousand men & Buregard on the other side & when the make
the atact the are agoing to make it on evry side & edge at the same time the
northaners is deserting gest as fast as they can & coming over to the South Meriland
has unanousley in the field for us I see some every day her that I no I saw 5 Texans here
today that I youst to no Jame Astons son James wil bee here sometime this week part of his
Reigment is here know I have not heard from Sheals sinc I have been here I want you to
wright to mee if you hav heard from him sinc I left I would wright to him but I hav forgot
the county & Post offis whare he livs I want you to wright to me name of the offis
where you wright to mee gest Direct your letters to mee care of Capt Powers Company K 15
Reigment Ala Vol this is some shorter a ways than I sent Before so good by
A M Aston
August the 11, 1861
Knoxville, Tenn.
Dear Wife and family,
I again drop you a few lines informing you that I & Bob [Morton] is well & hardy
& all the Rest of the Bois is well That came with me we landed here yesterday & we
have got a nise location her we are stationed her for awhile we don’t know how long
tho as long as one month anyhow There is between 15 & 16 thousand stationed here at
this place We have not been here long anough yet to nock around to finde out yet what is
agoing on they say thare is a good many yankee men her but they are coming over mity fast
you can tell all the friends to wright here to thare friends & be particular how they
Back thair letters. In Backing to me say on it A M Aston Knoxville Tenn in the care of
Captain Powers of the 15 Alabama Regemint tell all the Rest to direct thare letters the
same way the measels is her among the soldiers her But very little other sickness tho some
direare I will not wright no more untill to morow or next day then I will lern more what
is agoing on I am agoing to town to day we are a living one maile and a half from town we
have splendid water So good By
A M Aston
[to] Manurva Aston
Letters owned and transcribed by Monya Havekost, monyah@conterra.com.
Fayette Co. AL listowner
THOMPSON surname listowner
ROOTSWEB sponsor
Researching: ANDERSON, ASTON, BISHOP, DODSON, HARRIS, McDONALD, MORTON,
MUSGROVE, OWEN, SMOOT, THOMPSON, WEBSTER and WEEKS.
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