If you haven’t read the first two blogs, to be introduced to Col. James Griffin and his slaves, go back and read A Confederate Colonel
In late January, 1862, Col. James Griffin, CSA wrote, “Ned has been laid up a few days with a bad cold. I hope he will be up soon—Abram has a cold but is still up—He is a very fine boy, a general favourite with all the staff.”
By mid-February, 1862, Griffin’s unit was remote from the battlefront, and he hoped for leave. “I am exceedingly anxious to see you and my Dear Children, and hope to do so next month, if possible. But I wont set my heart on it too much for fear I may be disappointed. It is hard to tell what will be the condition of affairs, a month ahead. There is a great stir now among the Soldiers on the subject of reenlisting.”
Near the end of February , 1862, Griffin wrote, “We cannot see, My Darling into the future but I trust & have confidence in our people to believe, that if the unprincipled North shall persist in her policy of Subjugating the South, that we, who are able to resist them, will continue to do so, until we grow old and worn out in the service, and that then our Sons will take the arms from our hands, and spend their lives, if necessary, in battling for Liberty and independence.“
In early April 1862, he turned to a practical concern. “It has now come to my turn to cater for the mess. We have seven in the mess, and we take it by turns—each one catering for two months. My turn commenced yesterday. The way I manage, is to give Abram money and he provides for us. He is a first rate Boy—I think more of him than I ever did. …To give you an idea of the price of provisions—Abram has just come in and reported that he paid $1.75 for half bushel of sweet potatoes and the same amount for a turkey here….
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