From the
private collection of Ben Hitch for the E. E. Barton
Collection.
Lt. Perry
D. Fields wrote this letter to his family, Jan. 1,
1864. Eight months later, he lost his life during
the Battle of Jonesboro. He was the son of Ambrose
Griffith Fields and Sarah Ellis Fields.
More
on the Battle of Jonesboro...
Co. A 5th
Ky Reg Dalton, (Georgia?)
Jan. the 1st 1864
Dear
Father
Finding my self unimployed this bea(utiful?)
newyears day I thought I would rite to you again
for the 10(th?)( )without reding the Scrach of
a pen From home this (l)eaves me & the rest of
the boys all well & I hope if you get (
)will Find you all right & well I have rather
around about way of Sending Letters ( )with
standing I intend to right every week intill I
g(et) an answer the main object with us is
stamps i wish ( ) send me about three I am
sending you some of our ( ) Father if Elick
Roberts presents an account to you again just
tell him that I an a bad unprofitable boy (
) dont pay none of my contracts i just allowed
( )would come to you & say that he found me in
a bad condition & that he could not keep From
assisting m( ) which is not so we plenty to pay
my own Debts tell all the Folks that I would
like to hear from them ( ) Milt to rite to me
& rite all about Christmas Well I ( ) quit
my space is Limited ( ) you Dont know how to
Direct refur to Squire Lightfoot
I Subscribe myself
Your affectionate Son
Perry D. Fields
love to all & Nutes & Harrisons Families also
(The
copy of this letter is so worn in places that it
can not be read nor could I detect any
punctuation, so it is written exactly as I saw
it!)