Beschreibung:

Three letters in one envelope from James P. and Charles H. Hockenhull, of Barrettsville, Dawson County, GA. A bit difficult to get through the spellings, but written in a clear hand (as privates' letters go). The earliest letter is from James Hockenhull, "Camp Ritcheard Heardeeville, April 20, 1862." One side is written to his mother, the other side to a brother. The first part of the letter to mother refers to an earlier letter, so is a bit obscure. Near the end he comments "I think that if I stay in camps untell my time is out I will bea a weary learge man for I can eat eany think that any boddey elce can and live on what the rest donth." He repeats some of the same points on the "brother" side of the letter. He tells both that he is "as well satisfide as any one coud bea under the presen sircumsances." The next letter is to their sister from James. "Campt about twenty miles above Fredricksburge, August 13th 1863." The beginning is, as usual for soldiers, 'you don't write often enough.' He tells her, "the enamey seamed to be satisfide ons for they lost a grate meney men at Gettysburg Pennsylvania. I haev not seene Father since we first rested after the grate march into Pennsylvania of about 500 miles....som of the men wantes to bet large somes of money that the ware will end before next December I am in hopes that it may be so but if not I am willen to stay twent years before we will give it up for I am in the veary bes of health injoying my self." He goes on to tell her to pickle some peaches in brandy and save some apples for him, and passes along news of others that are in the unit from their town. The last letter is from both boys to their mother. Charles writes first from "Campt Sahara(?) Augest 16/ 63." He tells her that on the Sabbath that the men think about home and loved ones. "...there is no time in a soldiers life that is so dark and glumey as the sabbath wen he thinks of home and those churches that he in days gon by youst[used] to injoy.... there is very litle sed A bout the enemy the hur on the outher side oft he rapponack Gen Meads Head quarters has sed to be at Warrenton A bout forty miles from hear in the direction of Washington. there is somthing under consideration in Richmond but we canot under stand wat it is and I expect that it is best that we dont." J.P picks up about half way through the third page. "Brother has writen awll the newes ifn fact ther is know newes to write at presant. it is the sillist time that I ever saw and the time seames to pass of the slowest that I ever saw I have not received a letter from home since we left Culpeper on the 16 of June....We saw nothing of the enmeay we are not expect a fite sune but we cannot tell." Although the exact dates of enlistment for the brothers is unclear, Phillip's Legion organized in 1861 with six companies of infantry and four of cavalry. The Hockenhulls were both in Co. C. Charles enlisted June 11, 1861. James enlisted 3-1-1862. The unit was first sent to western Virginia (today, West Virginia) before being sent to South Carolina in December. In the summer of 1862 they joined the ANV, remaining until late summer 1863 when it joined Longstreet's Corps in the Army of Tennessee. It returned to the ANV in April 1864. After a short stint in the Shenandoah Valley, it returned to the ANV for the duration of the war. The unit saw action at many of the "big" fights - Malvern Hill, second Manassas, Antietam, Loudon-Faquier-Rappahannock, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, Knoxville Campaign, Wilderness, Spottsylvania CH, North Anna River, Totopotomoy River, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Richmond (1864 and 1865), operations against Sheridan in the Shenandoah, Appomattox, Sailors Creek, and many more. James P. Hockenhull was wounded at Fredericksburg (12-13-62) and sent to a hospital at Richmond. He returned to his unit and was killed at Knoxville, Nov. 29, 1863). Charles transferred to the 11th GA Infantry Jan. 19, 1864 as Capt. and ACS,