Year: 1863



 The following letter was found upan the body of rebel soldier, killed at Rristow . few days ago. It was written in confidence 70 sufferings in rebeldom .-..s,- -.

 woLr CREEK, St. Clair County,

 Alabama; Sept. 20, 1863.

 Dear Brother Fl embrace this opportuni. ty of writing you few lines, to inform yau that we are not all well. Every one of ny family has had the measles; the last one hka just got 90 can walk about. l have done scarcely any work in five weeks. l am very weak not able to do days work. l .cama home from Blount county with the measles on hope these few lines may find you in good health. l received your very kind letter da- ted August l6, which gave us great satisfac- ton to hear from you once more, for your let ter was so long coming that we began to fear you had got killed when you went up to Gettysburg. Times have got very hard here, do not believe half the people in this sec- ton of country have any meat to eat Meat here is selling at $2 50 per pound, and scarce ly any in the country to spare, and when it ls to spare the people do not want to take the confederate money for it. They look upon the confedera cy as about conquered, and when it is conquered, the money will be dead. Some people are offering ten dollars per bushel for wheat, and they suppose corn will sell for S2 ;50 per bushel in the heap, and some say 1t will bring five dollars per bushel soon and, con. sidering such high prices, how can we expect the women and children to be fed who are de: pendent on their husbands' wages to feed them? And many of them have lost their husbands in the war. egt

 What such families are to do can't tell, and the confederate money is now worth. only one dollar in ten. The privates get eleven dollars per mouth, and that is worth little oyer one dollar in specie. Men who would fight for such government as this, surely have not got good sense. The men are deserting and coming home by scores, and do not think they ale to blame, although there is about A company of men to every beat, hunting de, serters and robbers but believe they come in faster than they take them out. There have been several mep killed by the deserters, and some of the desertcrs have been shot. I am afraid if the war holds on, our country will be ruined by our men at home. Some time ago, there were nlapy of our men came from Vicks' burg with their paroles. l suppose the Tan: kees took abopt forty thousand of our men there besides what they took at other places. And the word came lust Saturday that they were exchanged, but the most of them do not believe it. Some of them have gone, and some say they won't go. without they are ta. ken. l,do not know what will be done. l dq not believe they are exchanged myself.

 believe our big men are fooling them. and if were them and they fooled me once, and I found it out, would never do them any more good if could keep from it. do think there is enough of our men killed and died iu this war, and if we can't whip the Yankees, we had better give it up, and let the war stop. think my boys have made enough to do the 'amily. But our Congress has passed law that each one has to give the tenth of what is made. I think this is a very unjust law, where the men are in the war, and have no one to make support but their children. I do nQt think they should pay anything bvt their com mon tax. The poor men have nearly ell the fighting to do and think the rich men should support the war. l hope the war may end soon. can't tell what we shall do for salt, and the government is pressing all the cattle, so that we will soon have nothing to eat but bread. want you to write regularly to mo, 80 remain your affectionate brother until i'eath. U. '