Private William Council Letter to Catherine McGeachy

William Council served as a private in Co. D, 51st North Carolina. He enlisted in December 1862 at age 36. He made it through the war without a scratch. Transcript by Kirk Ward.

Camp Hill Near Petersburg: v,a

April the 3th 1864

Miss C Mc G I seat my self

this pleasant morning to write you

a few lines to let you now that I

am well and harty at this time and

I am in hoaps that these few lines

may reach you and find you well

and harty and enjoying the sweet

pleasures of hoam, the helth of the

regamant is much better that I ever

saw it wee have but very little

sickness a tall in Company D and

all the boys is a getting along

Finely and tha loock beter than

you ever saw them but thay do

want to get hoam very bad to

See their oald sweet harts and

I think if this cruel war would

only end that ther wood bee moar

glad harts than ever was at

one time before and I am in hoapes

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that it will end this summer for

I think that boath sids is a getting

very tired of it and I dont think

it will last much longer I have

now news to write to you that

woud interest you, you must

tell Miss Sally that She must

put on her sundy and lock as

as peart as a kricket for Mr

S J Cobb is a going hoam in

a few days and you must do

your best and talk mity prety

for Mr F S Curry is a going

hoam too Soo I will stop

my noncence for this time

give my love to all the

Famely and receiv a portion

your self Pleas write back and

tell me all the news and

oblige your friend

William Council

Images 1864/75-76 from online collection of Catherine McGeachy Buie Papers, Rubenstein Library, Duke University