The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-04-21
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR.
shreveport Stan,lard.l


1t will be remembered by our readers
account of the return Of a letter to the
wife of Colonel Nathan Gregg, Of our
city, by an officer in the Federal army,
which she forwarded to him nearly
twenty years ago while he (Col. Gregg)
airy. then stationed at Atlauta, Ga.
The article published in the standard
has been extensively copied throughout
the country, and as a matter of in-
terest connected with it, we publish u
letter received short time ago by Col.
Gregg, giving history Of how the
letter Of Mrs. Gregg came into the pos
session of the gentleman who returned
it to her after so long time:
INDrANAPoLTs, Ind, March -, 1888.
Col. N. Gregg, Shreveport, la.
Dear Sir-Your letter of the 10Th
inst, Is received and I shall try to
answer your inquiries to the best of
recollection. ....
AT the time your wife sent the letter
referred to to you, Gen. Il. Kirby
Smiths headquarters was at Shreve-
port, La, and it must have been for.
warded there for transmission first.
One of Gen. Smiths couriers was taken
prisoner while trying to pass our Ohe
Union lines on the Mississippi river.
Some official papers together with
Mrs. Gregg's letter We're found in his
possession were brought to Gen. s. a.
Hulberts headquarters, at New Or
leans, La, and l was on duty with
him at that time. 1 fell to my lot in
the discharge of my official duty to
examine the captured documents in
order 10 find out If there was anything
contained therein, that might lead to
information concerning the movements
of the Confederate forces, and my in.
structions were to destroy all docu..
ments ofno value to us. When | came
hair" enclosed, in examining these
papers, I could not find the heart to
destroy them, but kept them in my
possession, thinking some day might
return them to her. The letter was
not soiled when first got ii. Tho nlu-
tiiation occurred nccidcntly after il came
into my possession.
had often wondered if you arrived
at home safely after the war and was
rejoiced to learn that you wcrc spared
to return to your loved ones and get
that letter and lock Of hair with tho
first "baby kiss'' in it, oven thoug!, ii
was almost twenty years after it was
penned. l was II young man when
that letter first came into my hands.
! was not then married, but am Older
now, and on the 10th day of next
month, it will be sixteen years since
became united in wetllocl to n loving
and faithful wife. Yes, the war has
long been over, and l trust tho Union
will never be divided again. When
I received your letter felt rs though
] had known you for years-it did not
read like letter from stranger. ]
received tho paper Ohe Shreveport
Standard) referring to the reception of
my letter, and return you my thanks
for the same. Thanks for your cordial
invitation and l beg to rcciprocatc by
asking that should you or yours over
happen in this section that you call
upon me aud my good wife, but we
have no little one or big one to present
you, as we are without children,
If you think this worthy of reply,
please answer. My best wishes to
Mrs. Gregg and your entire family.
remain truly yours,
G. q. LONG.