Job R. Redmond, Letter to Malinda Redmond (Nov. 2, 1864)

Job R. Redmond, Letter to Malinda Redmond (Nov. 2, 1864)

Job R. Redmond was a native of Buncombe County, North Carolina and served as a sergeant in Co. A, 5th North Carolina Cavalry Battalion. According to the 1860 census, Redmond (also spelled Redmon) was a farmer, and he and his wife, Malinda, had three children: four-year-old James, two-year-old William, and an unnamed four-month-old baby girl. In April 1864 Redmond was arrested for desertion. He writes his wife, sister, mother, and children to inform them that he is to be shot a week from the date.

Redmond, Job R.

Redmond, Job R. "Letter to Malinda Redmond Nov. 2, 1864" North Carolina Digital Collections. Web. 30, Apr. 2012

1864-11-02

Document

Correspondence

My Dier wife and children I seete my self this morning with A Troub beled harte and a de strest Mind to try to rite a few lines to Let you no that I hierd my sentens Red yesterday and hit was very Bad I am very sory to let you no for I <no?> that you <????> A great <??> of Troub ble all read dy I hafte Bee Shot The 9 of this month I am sory to in form You that I have But 7 days to live But I Hope and trust in god when tha have Slane My Body that god will take my Sole To reste whier I will meete my little Babe that is gon Be fore my dier wife I think I could die Better Sadesfide if i could see you and the children one more time on erth and talk with you But my time is so short I donte exspect to ever see you and my dier little children eny more on erth tern over I can in form you that I recieved 2 letters from you yesterday witch I red with pleser witch giv me some sadesfaction to hier tha you was all well and doing well I recieved the close that you sente to me By L t Smith I exspect tha will Bee my Bearing close I recieved A canteen of Brandy also But I am in two much trubble to drink it my Dier wife I wante you to come to see me if you can git abner Brooks to come with you if you can my days may Bee per long my Dier wife if I see you no more on erth donte grieve for mee nether lamente nor morne I hope I shal with my gesus Bee while you air lefte alone I pray that god will Bee will you and helpe you rase your children up in the noledge of the truth and the lorde and savior gesus christe My Dier sister lorrey I wante you to stay with Malinda and liv in pease and harmony to gether and prepare to meete me in heaven wher parting will Bee none no more A woird to my children witch is nier my harte in nature seeme to Binde James I want you to Bee a good Boy and obey your mother and keep out of Bad company <and?> Bee good to the <baby?> you must Bee a smarte Boy and obey your mother al so sissey you must be Bee A smarte little girl and bee good to the Baby and call it Jobey I hope that god will Bee with you all so far well children you cante see you papy no more on erth my Dier wife the time hase Ben sweat I have spent with you But now I must depart from you and never more return But let this not griev your harte I pray that the lords will Bee with you and helpe you out in all your troubles and triles hier Be low so far well Dier wife J. R. Redmond condemn to Die I will drop A few lines to my dier mother I no you air in a grate ele of troubble and living a lonsom life I think I am in as much trubble as eny Body in this world at at this time I am sory to in form you that I am in the dungin and condemn to Bee shot to deth mother I hav thot oftime of your praying for mee sence I have Ben in hier I have Ben in gaged in seeking the lord dier mother donte grieve for mee I hope we will all meete in heven so farwell mother Brothers and Sister all the tim is shor[t] that you have to live hier on erth and I want you to be in gage in prair while you air hier on erth and try to meete in heven I pray that god will Bee with you so far well Brothers and Sisters J. R. Redmond --- James medows and Ben felmoth is hier doing duty tha hante Ben molested malinda Jef Baley owes mee eighty dollars git it if you can it may do you some good