Funny how the Civil War is so close.

[sfc rick]

I was going up the line of ancestry and really was surprised how close it was to my Grandma's family (Father's side). My Grandma's little sister told us she had letters from their Grandpa written from Camp Chase, Ohio. That was the Union POW camp for Confederates caught on the field of battle. She also had a photo taken of him upon release at the end of hostilities. I have seen and posted the photo of him in his Confederate jacket and his hair all grown out and disheveled. He had a small grin on his face, certainly very happy to be going home to Alabama. Like a lot of war veterans he married his girl and moved to East Texas. They settled in the Reklaw township and he farmed from then on till his death in 1904.

I wished Aunt Velma had given those letters to us years ago before she passed away. Their grandpa was a colorful guy apparently and I enjoyed them sharing the stories.





On another note.... my Grandpa's (Dad's side) Grandpa served in the Union Army 4th Tenn. However it messed him up mentally and was Institutionalized 2 times afterwards until his death.

So even 160+ years later it still touches all of us deeply.