January 23, 1864

19

(Cumming is very sick)

Johnsons’s Island Ohio

Jany 23^rd/63 -

My Dear Wife,

            Tho I have not heard from you since I last wrote, I can not forgo, any longer, the pleasure of writing you again, notwithstanding, I had hoped to be able to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from you of recent week – I have, heretofore, heard from you Mouthly; but presume, that no communication is being had with the South as a longer period has elapsed than ever, Since I have had tidings of You  -  I wrote Mother not very long ago, as also, yr self  -  Hope you have had the pleasure of receiving them  -  I am much better situated than I have been.  I am now occupying a good comfortable room; & am quiet etc.  -  Cols Baker & Harmsburger, Capts Foster & Hertsfield & Lieut Ellis from Geo & Col Boyd & Lieut Hill from NC & Harwood from Va are my room-mates. -  We get along well  -  I am President of a flourishing debating Society at which we have much merriment & sometimes instruction - Ashton is here, & in fine health - .  We were lately put under command of some old soldiers from Va; & are much pleased at it, as the behaviour of the Militia who have never been to the front is unkind, & ungentlmany to us sometimes -  Our imprisonment has been long & irksome, but we bear it cheerfully—I hope you & all are well - I would be content, as near as possible, if I could know, that you & Mother were always well, & happy—But I know however, that, this is impossible in view of the condition of the country—Be of good cheer my dear wife—Your devoted husband Stephen A Corker Capt & prisoner war~

[with envelope]

http://www.aug.edu/~liblsc/Finding%20aids/Cumming_letters.pdf

Start page 42 letter #278 August 11 - Newton University Hospital, Baltimore, Md., Julien  
           Cumming to Henry H. Cumming, Augusta, Georgia, Continues to  
           write though under difficulties by the doubt as to whether his  
           letters reach home. Letters are submitted un-opened for inspection  
           before they are mailed for the South. Arm is healing, though it’s  
           crooked and will remain so Has occasional sharp pain, but suffers  
           more from confinement to two small rooms, well ventilated and  
           compulsively clean. Good food, but has no appetite. Is painfully  
           uncertain as to what will come of him. Sickens at the thought of  
           spending years in a Federal prison. No word from Washington  
           regarding his letter. Has nothing but Confederate money which is  
           worth nothing here. Suggests he send a sterling bill.  
           August 18 Wound healing but suffers with it at night. ALS  


His wound was caused by a minnie ball; it shattered  
            both bones. For a time it looked like amputation would be  
            necessary.

December 25, 1863

18

Johnson’s Island Ohio Dec. 25^th/63~

My Dear Wife,

            I always feel an indescribable pleasure when I sit down to write you.  When I reflect on the fleeting happy years of our early married life, & compare them with the painful tho necisitous [necessitous] ones of sepparation; and above all when I think of your christian meekness, and resignation to the will of God, in our great trials, & afflictions, I can account for, that, pleasure which nothing else earthly, can give – But a greater pleasure, a greater happiness, I feel, is in store for me; and, that is, a reunion with you which will remain unbroken until the drapery of the eternal couch is drawn around us – May that reunion soon come – Yesterday!  Christmass, I could depict in my mind that happy family group at fathers & I could see sad faces, & happy ones – The joyful face of my dear boy, his bright eyes, & fair features, and oh! if I could but have joined you – Two hearts would have beat happier, & two faces looked brighter – The great question with us is exchange – We constantly hear that, we will be, but ‘tis like mans blessing here – never to come – I still receive frequent letters from Miss E – Nothing new – Ben McKinnon wants Judge Palmer to say to T S Mitcalf that he was well etc. – on the 20^th inst.  I hear from Mr. Nott now, & then – All were well last accounts. – Tell me, if you know, who of the compy were wounded, & who died – Did Col Gibson get home?  Remember me affectionately to all – Tell Mother I am in good health – I rec’d her last letter a few days ago, Yours also of the 27^th ult.  I will write to her soon – Kiss my dear boy – Is Milton there with him?  I reckon Sis Mollie is with you all; if so kiss her my love-

Your devoted husband,

Stephen  A Corker Capt, & P War

[with envelope]

December 17, 1863

17

Johnson’s Island Ohio

Dec 17 1863

My Dear Wife -                                                                                    

Your letter of the 27. ult was rec’d a few days ago & I was extremely happy to hear from you again & to know you & son & all are well.  I did not know how dear you were & are to me until this long separation & now the one great wish of my heart is to be restored to you.  I hope when we meet again our partings will have ended for ever.  I am also in recpt of a letter from my dear Mother.  Tell her my health continues verry good & I still have hopes of exchange.  Miss Emma sent me a few days ago a good pr of blankets & pillow.  So I am well fixed for sleeping.  I will write your oftener than I have done.  Mr. Nott sent me $25 more & I can afford to do so.  I have sent you from two to five stamps in each letter.  Do you get them?  I also sent Ma some.  Last night was the most stormy & blustering I ever witnessed & the drifted snow lies in huge lines & coils in every direction this morning.  The weather is bitter cold.  Of all climates this must be the most inclement.  I would not live here for any thing.  It is well addapted to generate its peculiar ism’s.  We have for a month been deprived of every thing to eat but a little bread & buf & not enough of that.  But I hear the Sutler will open today. If so we can buy vegetables again I recon. You know I ask them no favor & am willing to live on a mere crust if serving my country.  As there is no misstatement in this, I hope it will be allowed to reach you.  Their public prints say we are starving their men in Richmond. Let it be known that we are not faring any better.  You know I am inured to hardship & do not fear any severity.  Kiss my son & give my love to all.  With the hope of seeing you soon.  I am yr devoted husband

                                           Stephen A. Corker         Capt         P. War

[with envelope]

November 2, 1863

16

                                                                                                Depot Prisoners War

                                                                                                Johnson’s Island Ohio

                                                                                                Nov 2 1863

My Dear Wife –

            I have not written you as often as I could wish because Flags of Truce, I am told, go very  rarely now.  I wrote Ma 7 or 8 days ago & intended to write you on the 20^th ult the anniversary of our marriage, but concluded you would hear from me thro Ma’s letter of about that date.  I can write you nothing new & indeed nothing of interest except my continued good health & spirits.  I rec’d Ma’s letter of the 11^th.  It was of great pleasure to me.  I have had nothing from you since 30th Sept.  I suppose you are or will be at Ma’s by time this gets South, so I will send it to W.  I get letters from Portsmouth now & then. Our friends there are verry kind to me.  Wish Miss Emma to come South & see us.  She wrote me she would probably come next Spring.  Of course she would prefer an invitation from you.  I fear we can not adequately repay their kindness.  We are indebted to them, on Roberts account also.  Mrs.  D & family are all well.  Give my love to your Mother & sis Jule & all.  Is Elbert taking good care of his stock?  All the prisoners of my acquaintance are well.  Tell Ma Capt Doughty is still living & doing well.  We do nothing but sleep & eat & read.  Time goes verry hard & every one thinks of home & the dear ones there.  Be patient my dear wife.  I hope to be exchanged by Jany when I shall see you once more.  This however is hope without knowledge.  Give my love to Ma & all.  Kiss my dear son.  Father will expect him to know his letters when he comes.

                                Your devoted husband            Stephen Corker Capt & Prisoner War

October 14, 1863

15

                                                                                  Depot Prisoners War

                                                                                  Johnsons Id Ohio

                                                                                  Oct 14 1863

My Dear Wife

           I rec’d yesterday a letter from you to Miss Emma J. Diggs; also one to myself as late as the 30^th Sept for which I am especially thankful.  I want you to write to Miss Emma & insist on her coming South to see us.  My dear wife, I don’t know what we will do to repay the kindness of our friends North -  Miss Emma & her mother & Mr. Nott.  All have been disposed to gratify every whim, let alone supplying me with necessarys.  The first named person has sent me towells, socks, necties, handkerchiefs, soap, toothbrush, paper & envelopes, a splendid pair of winter drawers & cake enough to feast me & all my friends.  Mr. Nott has sent me a good winter  coat, woollen socks, a fine & coarse comb, and books to read.  Miss Emma sent me $15 & Mr. Nott $50.  I am particular in writing you these particulars because I know it will satisfy you as to my being comfortable & make you rejoice in the goodnesss of yr. friends.  I want you to write to Miss E. & invite her & Miss Mollie O to come South. The latter has been kind too.  I have written to them to come, but they have not agreed to do so.  I am quite well & doing well.  We expect to [be] exchanged in three or 4 weeks tho we don’t know.  Tell Mother not to be uneasy about me.  I am doing as well as I could desire.  I want you to send her this to read.  I would write you both often but it is too expensive.  We pay 10 cents a piece for cabbage & every thing in proportion.  I hope Abe C will be elected tell our friends to vote for him.  He will make a good tax officer.  I will write to Frank.  I am much rejoiced to know he is not dead.  Kiss my son & give all my love.

                                                                               Your devoted husband

                                                                               Stephen A. Corker Capt & Prisoner War

September 15, 1863

14

Depot Prisoners War Johnson’s

Island near Sandusky City

Ohio  Sept. 15^th 1863

My own dear wife

I am happy happy this morning; being in receipt of a letter from you.  I feel relieved, for I know yr anxiety is over.  I am quite well, & long to be exchanged & see you & son once more.  I know nothing definite of Capt. Harlow, Frank Allen, G. Williams or Sam Palmer.  Reports, however say Capt. Harlow & F. Allen were both killed.  I know Sam was wounded, but do not know whether mortally.  Capt. Snead of my Regt. Says he saw Williams after the battle & that he was wounded in the thigh.  Capt. Snead is a prisoner with me.  I was taken about dark & hurried off to Balo & being in advance do not know how my comp[any] fared in the fight.  I wrote you before that J. McCullough is reported dead.  H. Attaway, J. Hargroves & McCothran [?] were taken prisoners with me.  Attaway told me he saw Sam Palmer after he was wounded & that he was seriously wounded.  I hope not mortally.  I find the prison here much more comfortable than I expected, indeed it is as comfortable as could be looked for.  Plenty of good water etc.  I will brihg you a pr of gloves & son a pr of shoes.  It does not seem to me that we will be exchanged soon but I will try and be patient.  A ball passed thro my clothes grazing the skin on my left side, but thank God I was not hurt.  There is five officers here from my Regt. & ten in all from my Brig.  So I have plenty of comp[an]y.  Write me and address Capt. S.A. Corker (prisoner War) care Maj.  Pierson Johnson’s Island, Near Sandusky City Ohio.  Be patient and happy til I come.  Don’t let sons hair be cut til I come.

Your devoted Husband

                                                                        Stephen A. Corker P.W.

 

September 2, 1863

13

Portsmouth  September 2, 1863

Dear Friend,

I cannot adequately express the happiness I feel in having an opportunity of writing to you my dear friend, and relieve you of the great anxiety under which you have lived for the last few weeks.  I have glad tiding for you from Captain Corker, and I rejoice with you and his mother in knowing that he is well, and not wounded or killed, as you all supposed him to be.  He is a prisoner on Johnson’s Island, near Sandusky City, Ohio.  I have received from him two letters in which he says he is very anxious for you and his mother to know his whereabouts.  He says that he is treated as well as a prisoner can expect to be, and has some pleasure with a few prisoners from his own regiment.  I sent to him last week some clothing by express, and shall send tomorrow some Federal money, it being the only kind he can use there.  I have not heard from him since I sent the clothing, but if he were allowed to have them, which I think he was, we will send more for him.  I have two cousins at the same prison.  I shall write to them and ask them to look out for Captain Corker.  You must not see anymore trouble than you can possibly help, abut the Captain, rest assured we will do all in our power for his comfort and if he has to remain there this winter, he shall not suffer for clothing if the good for nothing Yankees will permit us to send to him.  I am writing to the Captain this morning and shall tell him I have sent a letter off to you because I know it will relieve his mind so much.  I sencerely trust he will not have to remain there much longer, for I know how anxious he  must be to get back to his regiment.  I wish when they exchange him, he will pass by this way.  I should use every exertion to see him, perhaps he will be brought through Norfolk, as sometimes they have to stop at Fort Norfolk. 

I wish I had time to write you a long letter.  I have so much I would like to say to you, but I have four letters to write by twelve o’clock, as the mail carrier will be off about that time, and I knew nothing of it until last night.  Sometimes we have but a few minutes to srite in, but we are glad to send a letter to our friend anyway.  I assure you Pa sends a great deal of love to you and messages but I have not the time to write them.  I sincerely trust we shall soon see each other, how delighted I would be, but sometimes I think it will be a long, long time before I will see any of my dear friends.  Give my kind regards to your father’s family, for I feel as if I knew them all.  Let me hear from you if you have an opportunity of sending a letter.  We have to be very particular now about receiving, or sending letters if it is known that we send or receive one, we are to be imprisoned for it.  What do you think of that?  It is certainly hard to be placed in our condition.  I trust you may never suffer what we Portsmouth people have.  I must stop now.  May God watch over and soon return your dear husband to his loved ones, it the prayer of your Affectionate friend, Emma.

[written in left margin of page 2]

Kiss dear little Palmer for me.  How I would like to see him.  I know he is a perfect fellow.

[written across top of page 2]

Kit this is for dear Mrs. Corker.