Fort Delaware Del
Oct 8th 1863
Mrs. Mary Gerard Respected Friends
I have the misfortune at the time to be a prisoner. I was captured at the Battle of Gettysburg and have
been kept at this place ever since. Ok, what a contrast between this place and home. You know how it
is at father’s house. There I could at least get enough to eat and wear. Since I have been a prisoner I
have received almost destitute of everything. As you are the only acquaintance or friend that I have at
the North from whom I could expect a favor, I will ask you to send me a few plugs of tobacco and a few
postage stamps. You should not lose anything by sending me the above articles. If peace is ever made I
will repay you four times the worth if required. Send the package by express to G. Henry Gordon
Company G, 15th SC Regt Kershaws Brigade, Fort Delaware, Del. Care of Capt. Ahl. When I last heard
from home father and mother were both well. Avid and Lawrence are both at home. James is in the
western army. This leaves me in good heart and I hope I may find you and all the family participants of
the same. Please write soon I am anxious to hear from you.
I am very respectfully yours,
G. Henry Gordon
Direct your letter as above stated
Fort Delaware, Del
Jan. 9th 1864
Dear Cousin,
You will learn from this that I am still a prisoner at Fort Delaware. I have written you twice since the
reception of your letter but have received no answer. Think I must have made a mistake with the
address. The box came safe, for which I am much obliged. Dear cousin, if it is convenient for you to do
so I would be glad you would send me a few dollars in money I am in need of a few articles of clothing
which I could purchase here if I had the money if you see fit to grant me this small favor I will be much
obliged besides I will assist you in a like manner if an opportunity should ever offer itself at any future
time. Please present my compliments and best respects to Mrs. Gerard and tell her I would have
written to her long since but prisoners (now) are not allowed to write to anyone except their relatives.
I hope to hear from you in a few days
I am as ever your cousin
G. Henry Gordon
P.S. Excuse bad writing the weather is so cold I can scarcely hold my pen or write a legible hand – my
health is good , and has been ever since I last wrote you.
Address Company G. 15th So. Ca. Regt. Fort Delaware, Del. In care of Capt. Ahl
Yours,
G. H. G.
Fort Delaware, Del
Febr, 11th 1864
Cousin Harriett,
Yours of the 30th containing $5 in money has been duly rec’d for which you will please accept many
sincere thanks. Was sorry to hear so much sickness in your family. Hope though all are well by this
time. If you should hear from my parents please let me know immediately. I have made several
unsuccessful attempts to send one through the lines to them. I have not yet gained any information in
regard to the interview you spoke of. Will let you know as soon as I can ascertain. Would be glad to see
you. Although this is not a very desirable placed to receive visitors. If an interview would be allowed
and is not attended with too much trouble and expense you must come anyhow. My love and respect
to all your family, also to Mrs. Gerard.
I am yours as ever,
G. Henry Gordon
Write again soon
Direct your letters
precisely as you did
your first one and it
will come through safe
Fort Delaware
Nov. 28th ‘65
Dear Friend,
Having waited some time for a reply to my last letter I have come to the conclusion to write again
thinking perhaps your answer might have been miss sent and, dear friend, I will once more call upon you
to do me another small favor if it is convenient please send me by letter a few dollars United States
money – say six or eight. It’s true I get as much and am as well treated here as any prisoner of war could
expect, but at the same time I need a good many little articles which cannot be procured without
money. I am almost ashamed to ask another favor so soon after the first, but being cut off as I am from
all communication with home and from all other sources from which I could obtain help I have several
times been compelled to ask favors when at the same actually felt ashamed to do so. Never the less I
hope you will forgive the liberty I have taken and there is a future day coming when all these little affairs
can be straightened. I would like to write more, but we are only allowed to write one page.
My respects to all and with the kindest regards to your welfare, I remain as ever your sincere friend,
G. H. Gordon
Cedar L????? Oct, 20th 1866
My Dear Mrs. Lewis,
Received your letter on yesterday, came in 5 days. I was very much surprised and gratified to hear from
you. Sorry that your letter was so short, alas, dear friend, everything has changed here. We, once a free
and happy people, are now a poor down trodden people, you can form no idea of the poverty and
distress of some parts of the country. Fortunately the Yankees never got in less than fourteen miles of
us, but I had a great many scares, and oh! Such hiding of things. I have worried
and walked so much when I would hear they were coming when the excitement was over I would
scarcely move. When the Yankees would go to a house, if it was not abandoned, they wouldn’t burn but
plunder, they would take everything they could get their hands upon, wearing apparel of all
descriptions., bed cloths, what they couldn’t carry they would give to the negroes or burn, that is the
truth my dear madam. They would take quilts and spread them down, and then fill them up, tie them
up, and carry them off. They always carried a gang of negroes along with them. They were negro
soldiers that would straggle after the army. But we did dread them, what the whites would have they
would take or destroy, in some instances they would burn house when families would be present.
O! Those wretches, if they went to a house where no white Yankee was present, while respectable
young ladies . O, the heart sickens at the thought. O! What we have suffered and yet the Radicals are
determined to make us suffer more. Is there no compassion at the North for us? They have put the
Negroes on an equality with us, and you may be assured they use it well. They are killing up all our stock
hogs and cattle, just go and shoot them down wherever they find them. We have made no ropes?
scarcely, partly owing to their not working, they won’t work, just go about and kill and steal. If the
people of the south don’t get help somewhere we will all die off, white and black.
I expect you have heard that poor Henry Gordon dies in prison. We all feel very grateful to you and
Mother for your kindness to him while in prison. He wrote to his friends, informing them of your
kindness. They will right you if they ever have it in their power. The old man is very deaf, can scarcely
hear anything. They sold what negroes they had and bought a steam mill. They kept old George and a
little girl, Amelia, died. They bought some land near Johnson’s Ferry , and put the mill there. James
Gordon died from sickness contracted in the army. Davy and his wife parted some years ago, they are
still apart. Lawrence is still alive, but very sickly. I have Betsy’s child, she is a very large girl now, called
Ellen, her father is dead too. I lost a son in the Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam). William was very small
when you were here.
Give my love to your mother and sisters. My best regards to Mrs. Lewis, the family all come? in love to
you. Dane is grown large woman. Little Ida is out of school. Alice is dead.
Your friend,
A. M. Cunningham