CP Article

Can We Trust the Yankees with Our Clothes?

Gen Conrad L. Bush

This article appeared in the April - June 2006 issue of the Confederate Philatelist. Posted under a prior agreement with the then journal editors in effect since the early days of this website.

This small letter (5 x 8 1/2 inches) contains a lot of information that I thought would be of interest to the members of the CSA. The letter is enclosed in an envelope made of brown paper with an AD Type 2 stamp canceled with a partial Richmond CDS. The following is a transcript of the letter --

Geneva, Ga (no date)

Col Ould,

Is it too much to ask you to write me whether clothes and money sent to my brother will probably reach him & how we must send them, or whether the Yankees are careless in delivering such things & press them for their own use. My Brother Capt Thomas was captured on the battle field Aug 16th & of course has no clothes but such as he had on. It would give me pleasure to send him some, but of course I do not want to send them on to become spoils of war to some agent or guard. If the probabilities are in favor of his getting them I will send. I thought of course you knew what the chances were better than anyone else.

Yours Respectfully

Sarah M. Chandler

The above appears on one side of the letter. The following is on one half of the reverse.

Respectfully returned to writer. Money, tobacco or clothing & imperishable articles of food may be sent to our prisoners North with comparative safety. Money enclosed in a letter properly directed & tobacco, clothing & food enclosed in packages not exceeding 100lbs in wt. And plainly marked, if sent to this office will be promptly forwarded. Send package to Richmond by Express, Care of Col. Robt. Ould.

W. H. Hatch
Capt & Asst. Agt. of Exch.

The letter is countersigned: Col Ould -- Commissioner of Exchange

Robert Ould (1820-1881) was a prominent attorney in Washington DC, but was a Southern partisan and joined the Confederacy. During the first three months of 1863, he was the Assistant Secretary of War but later that year became the Chief of the Bureau of Exchange of Prisoners.

George S. Thomas, Captain Co C 64th Georgia Infantry, was commissioned April 1, 1863. He was captured as a POW at Deep Bottom, Va August 16, 1864 (a minor engagement during the Siege of Petersburg). He was confined at Fort Delaware until his Oath of Allegiance and release on June 17, 1865.

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