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The following letter was transcribed by Justin Sanders from the original. The letter is being shown with breaks not from the original to make easier to read - the original is really hard to read all jumbled together in one big paragragh. |
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Kaufman, Kaufman Co, Texas To his Excellency About the close of last year we arrived here having been forced to fly from our home in Louisiana swamp and take refuge in this State with great loss. I had two sons in the army: my Eldest Doctor James S. Thornton in extremely bad health suffering from Chronic Bronchitis and Suppression of Urine for seven years previous, on account of which he was exempted from military service in Mississippi before he moved to Louisiana about three years ago. And was there exempted from service by Genl. Blanchard, at the time he volunteered under General Harrison, after seeing six months hard service wading in water and several fights with the Federal troops although in wretched health in that overflowed swamp a substitute was accepted by General Harrison for whom he paid five thousand dollars. He and all of us with his negroes being forced to fly, came here all in bad health; He was then enrolled in the Militia of Texas and the Board of Physicians apprised of his condition gave him a six months furlough said by them to be equivalent to a discharge, but a few days past the enrolling officer informed him he would have to go in the confederate service being one of those who had furnished a substitute, and to day informed that he must report also to Genl. Griffin on the 20th of this month as a furloughed Militia-man for Texas. My son has thirty or forty negroes has been trying to procure a farm with a growing crop if possible to support them and raise something for the confederacy and will succeed if time is granted him to do so. He is a Physician but from bad health can better perform the management of his negroes on a farm with less exposure and fatigue than any other pursuit but has not yet had time to obtain and settle on it, and he has not nor can he get a person if he was able to perform duty [stricken: to get a person] to do so in his stead. I his father am seventy one years old and very infirm no family but him a son and daughter at school and another son in the Army from whom I have not heard since 1st of Septr. 1863. We are strangers in a land of strangers none to appeal to but you. I am a Virginian by birth a Mississippian and Louisianian by adoption and now a Texan. As to character standing and reputation Sir, my son and myself can if requisite, give you references to Gentlemen Senators members of highest standing in the Confederate Congress even President Davis himself. I hope your Excellency will grant my son the time and privilege of getting a place and home to settle us on either by detail or otherwise as you may deem best taking into consideration the circumstances of the case and feeble state of my son and myself. By freedom from exposure and my medical and other attention and nursing he may be able to aid his family and country at the same time. He has certificates of discharge and exemptions &c in his possession and your Excellency may be assured if able to perform any better service to his country he does not lack patriotism but he is too feeble in constitution increased by long sickness to make the attempt again. That we may know what we can depend on your Excellency will confer a lasting obligation by having our petition answered as soon as possible. I have the honor to be most respect'y [wrapper note] Application for the exemption of his son, Dr. Thornton, from military service so that he can locate his slaves on a farm and make a crop to surpport his family-- They are refugees from Louisiana. |