The reading and translation of these letters was generously provided by David C. and Martha Ann's great-grandson, Truman Gregory. All Gregorys are indebted to Truman for his years of dedication and stewardship of our Gregory history. RWG
State of Georgia, Alanta 1862 Dear Wife and children and Pa
I seat myself to write to you on time more. I am still improven. I will soon be well if I get
no back set. I do hope these few lines will find you all well and doing good. I recieved your
kind letter. It done me good to read it. I wish I could get one from you ever day. I would
of rote to you sooner but I was trien to get a furlow but I made a failure tho thar is a good
many got furlows. I think when I got a little stouter maybe I will get one. I shall try any how.
I do hope I will get to come home this winter sometime. I will tell you my Dear if I had of
had no money since I come here I would have starved for shore. We only get two meals a day and
it (louest) to us and nothing but beef and corn bread and it cold at that. I will now give you
the price of every thing we have to buy. Eggs ten cents a peice. Butter one dallar and 25 cents
per pound. Chickens from 75 cents to one dollar. Shoes twelve dollar per par. Wool hats
ten dallars per hat. Tobacco 75 cents to dollar per plug. Pork 50 cents per pound.
Beef 25 cents per pound so you may know what sort of times we have here. I dont know how long
I will stay here. I hope thoe tel the war brakes. I hear this morning the Regment is still in
Tennessee but I dont know whar it is. I have got better satesfide than I was. Me and a man by
the name of Adums (Adams) that lives in Pickens Vill has tuck up together and is as same as brothers.
Well hun I want you to sell the cotton and live on it. I do hope you all will git plenty to live on
I could send you a little more money if I had the chance but it wont do to send it by mail.
I sent you 25 dollars by Lieutenant Stuart and you hav never rote whether you got it or not.
So write weter you have got it or not. Well hun it does seem like I cant do without seeing you
and the children much longer. But I shall have to wait tel it is the will of God for me to come.
So I want you all to do the best you can and pray fo my safe return and quick. Tel the children
that PAPA wants them to be a good obedient children. Tell Liga to kiss Davy ever day for papa.
Hun I want you to write to me as soon as you git letter and send me some babary bark powderd up as
fine as you can. I have got the scurvy the worst kind and the fool Dr. cant do nothing. You send
a little in the letter. I can git the snuff here. Well hun since I commenst this letter they come
in a good old man and give me two dollars. If one third of the men was like him the war would brake
in twenty four hours. I think it cant last long. Well hun I must close with you this time.
Write soon and often I hope you have your wheat sowd and corn geatherd. Give my love to Dady and
family. Tell them I want to see them. Tell Polly God bless her. I love her and I hope will see
her before long. D.C. Gregory to his sweet wife M.A. Gregory Direct your letter as before.
Dear cousin D.G. to K.G. |
(Undated but probably 1863)
My Dear I will try to right you a few lines to let you hear from me. I am about like I hav bin for som time. Hun I recieved your distresen leter yestidy dated Apr the 30. Hun it nearly brakes my hart to no that my loven wife and children is liven the way they ar. Wold to God that I was thar to assist you. Hun if I was able to travel I wold bea attemped to try to come home. I hav applied fur a furlow. They cant furlow for another regment. The Leiutenant tried to git mee sent to the hospittle this morning. The Dr. told him he wanted to wait a few days. He thought I wold git beter. The Leiutenant ses if I was at the hospittle it wold bea no truble for mee to get a discharge. He ses he will git mee off if he can. Hun I intend to do all in my power to git to com home. Hun for God sake dont greav more than you can help for I do want to sea you again. I hope and trust to God that we will all meat again be for long. I think this war will close before long. Hun I dont want you to work so hard. Do for God sake take care of yourself. I no it is awful to bar but I hope to God that it wont last much longer. Hun it greave mee nearly to death but I cant help my self. Hun I want you all to pray for my safe return. Well my Dear I am so pesterd I cant think of no more to right. I git a leter from you ever week so I remain your husban D.C. Gregory to his good wife |
(Undated)
Well Martha Ann I have got but a few ninutes to go on. I am cook and had but little time to go on. I have caught the worst cold in the world. Tho I am giten well. Dick and Jerard has the measles. Jim and Jehu taken the mall at once. Our company is in a chocken fix with the colds and mesels. I will come home as soon as I can My Dear as soon as I git time I will write you a full letter for thar is plenty of rascals here. D.C. Gregory to M.A.G. (M.A. Gregory at home forward by W.F. Rawls.) |
Undated - probably 1863
Well my Dear sweet little wife and children D.C.G. to M.A.G. |
State Ala. April 19 1862
Tuscaloosa County This is to let you know that we got hee safe and sound but very tired. We had the best of luck. We all got a blanket a piece and some of us got two. Gerard (Jehu ?) got two. Hamp got a blamket and comfort. Martha Ann I want you to send this to Pa and Babe send word to Dan Bounde and Mrs Holimons and let the neighbors all knoow what good luck we had. Tell Mr. Levels folks that Grif is here and well. The boys someof them is very lively, some very solumn. We got here in time to see the Yanks as they is ( ) some of them barefooted and nearly naked. Well old woman we stopped at Wider (Coopum) to get a drink of water and they cheered us with the piana which made some of the boys open their eyes. Well old woman they are holeren corperol of the guard in our direction. Tho we will get used to it for we have to stay here I suppose. So all of you do the best you can and we'll do the same. Jehu has lost his pocket book already. So I am tired and have to quit for this time so I will write ever day that I can.
D.C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory |
State Ala. July the 2, 1862
Dear wife D.C.G. to M.A.G.
D.C. Gregory.......... David C. Gregory
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My Dear Wife this is July the 21 (1862) Well my Dear we have landed to Marion found a pretty town, Me and Jehu and Dick is well. Dick mended eve day. We got tired of our march tho faired well plenty to eat, good water. Well my Dear I hant got time to write half of what I want to. We hav to straddle the iron horse (train) in the morning at 8:00 oclock. I will write you a full letter when we get to Mongumry. I want you to write me a letter as soon as you get his. Direct it to Montgumry Post Office Ala. in care of Capt. B.F. Eddens, 41 Regment Volenteers Company F. The people of Marion greeted us smartly. Tell Bob we have got his blanket. Tell him and Hamp to come ahead as soon as they get well. Jim had better keep himself close. Tell cousin Budy that I didn't have time to go to the factory nor nothing else. Wah Givens will send you your Pa taxes (tax) receipt and Betys all together. I O (owe) your Pa one dollar and 25 cents. Betty O (owes) the same so when you get thar tax receipt you will git some money. So let Bety pay your Pa the dollar and 25 cents and them pay you the amount of thar taxes and that will get us all straight. My sweet and loven wife do write me a full letter. Give my love to Kanidy and family and everybody that inquires of about me. Dick is going to write some. Dick and Jehu and me is as same as one. Tell Martha that Wiseman says he will write to her when we get to Selma. He is well. Goodbye for this time.
D.C.G. to M.A.G. R.V. Gregory to dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters. I seat myself this evening to write you a few lines to let you know that we are well. We are in Marion and will leave tomorrow on the car and we will get a good ride. I would be glad to see all all but we are a good pease from home and in a few days will be further. Well it is getting dark so I will have to quit. When we get to where we stop I will write to you all and give all the news. So good bye to all until I get the chance to write again. R.V. (Dick) Gregory to G. Gregory and all the rest. D.C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory
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Letter written by David C. Gregory, Pvt CSA Co. F. 41st Inf. Reg. Alabama Ala. Dales County July 24, 1862
My dear and loven wife and children D.C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory
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State of Ala. July the 28, 1862 Mongumry.
Dear wife and children. D.C.G.
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State Ala. July the 2, 1862 Tuscaloosa Co
Dear and affectionate & sweet & loving wife and children & Pa. D.C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory
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Jena (Ala.) Tuscaloosa Ala. July the 31, 1862
Dear and affectionat husband M.A. Gregory Pa we made 3 bushels of wheat.
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Chattanoog Tenessee August the 3 1862
Dear Wife and children and Pa. David C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory his wife.
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Charleston Tennessee August the 13, 1862 (?)
Dear Wife and children
D.C. to his loven wife and children
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Charleston Tennessee August the 17, 1862 Bradley Co.
Dear Wife and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A. G.
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State of Ala. Jackson Co. August the 24, 1862
Dear wife and children and Pa D.C. Gregory to M.A. Gregory his wife.
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State of Ala. Jackson Co. Sept 16, 1862
My dear wife D.C. Gregory to His Wife M.A. Gregory
Dear Father R.V.G and C.J. Gregory to Gerard Gregory Send this if you please to Dady or take it. I rather you would take it. I will write some to you next time Dave write. R.V. Gregory to M.A. Gregory
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Knoxville Tennessee Knox Co. Oct. 11 1862
My Dear Wife and children form (from) D.C. Gregory to his sweet wife M.A. Gregory
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Dear Friend
I embrace the present opportunity of dropping you a few lines to let you know that I
have not forgotten you yet. We have seen hard times since you left us. You thought
we had hard times before you left. We have seen the elephant (the beast) you may guess
we may guess we get into the fight and I tell you it was know Stevenson affair jumping in
the branch was no object. We would have been glad for it to have a Stevenson scrape but
it was not as. Bob has wrote all the knews. I have nothing to write I will again you
must write to me as soon as you get this. Write all the news in general. Write all the
news that you can get in the country. So I will come to a close.
Yours as ever
Thomas N. Mennell (Merrell?)
To David Gregory
the rarieter (writer) send his love and respects to you and family.
Rufus H. Dennings.
Talahoma Tennesee Jan. 31, 1863
Dear Brother
I recieved your most kind letter yesterday which afforded me great sattisfactin to
hear from you and to learn that you were mostly well. I am quite sorry that you are
so diseased but you are ginerly (generally) better off at home diseased than
you would home in good health but it is all the Lords work he knows what is best.
I have been quite well except colds for some time past until last night I taken a chill
wich lasted me several hours. From your letter it looks like that some of them know what
soldiers will do after being out one or two years. I wish soldiers the soldiers could
have the privelige of passing through the country. I think it would be stimulate those
at home to get up a peace convention. I think they would see the fruits of war and haul
in their War Signs. and advocate peace. Some think that we will have a big battle here
but there is no telling any thing about it. I think that we are staying here in order
to get all the wheat and corn fodder here out of this country back to Bridgeport and
then we will fall back there to protect Chattanooga as that seems to be the point to
save as all our provisions are there for the whole western army. There is a great many
reports now in regard to peace. It is reported in camp this morning that some of the
Lincoln men passed through here last night on their way to Richmond to the Confederate
Congress to go in Convention with us to get about peace. Numerous reports afloat.
I do not know wether any of them are true or not but I hope some of them are true
for if we could have peace once more in our land and all get home what a happy time
it would be. You can state to the old man that I have sent him fifty dollars by
Lieutenant Clements. 31 dollars of Dicks and 19 dollars of Hamps. Hamp had four
dollars a half and I sold his clothes which made the balance. As for Dicks and
Franklins clothes I have never heard any thing from them at all. I think there
was a misanderstanding in Dr. Gregory in regard to that for we have never heard
any thing from them as all. Tell the old man to write to me as soon as he get the
money that I have sent to him. So that is all that I can think of to write at this time.
So I will come to close. Good bye for this time. Yours as ever.
R.I. Gregory to David Gregory
Ala. Tuscaloosa Co. Feb the 19 1863
My Dear Wife and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A. Gregory
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Georgia Westpint (Westpoint) Feb. 23, 1863
Dear Wife and Children D.C.G. to his wife
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Manchester Tenessee March the 1 1863
My Dear Wife and Children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A. Gregory
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Manchester Tenes. March the 8 1863
Dear wife and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A. Gregory
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Manchester Tennessee March the 21, 1863
My Dear Beloved one and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A.G.
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Manchester Tena April the 19, 1863
My Dear Beloved wife and children D.C. Gregory to M.A. his wife.
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Manchester Tenessee March 30, 1863
My Dear Beloved Wife and Children D.C.G. to M.A.G.
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Dalton Georgia May the 26 1863
My Dear Wife D.C. Gregory to his good wife M.A. Gregory
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Dalton Georgia June 6, 1863
Dear Wife and Children D.C.G. to his good wife
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Mongumry Ala May the 17, 1864
Dear Wife D. Gregory
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Atlanta Georgia May the 20, 1864
Dear Wife and Children D.C. Gregory to his good wife M.A. Gregory
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Chaffens Bluff, Va, June the 3. 1864
Dear and afectionate Wife and Children. D. C. Gregory to his wife M. A. Gregory
Dear Father and Mother D. C. Gregory |
Mongumry Ala July the 8, 1864
Dear and Beloved Wife and Children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A.G. |
Macon Georgia Dec the 2, 1864
Dear absent wife and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A. Gregory |
Peters Burg Va. December the 26 1864
Dear Absent Wife and children |
Peters Burg Va. Jinuary the 12, 1865
Dear Absent wife and children. D.C. Gregory to my wife M.A.G. |
Peters Burg Va. Jin (Jan.) the 19, 1865
My Dear wife and Children |
Petersburg Va Jinuary the 21 (or 4) 1865
Dear absent wife and children |
Petersburg Va Febuary the 3, 1865
dear wife and children D.C. Gregory to his wife M.A.G. |
Petersburg Va. March the 5 1865
Dear absent wife and children D.C. Gregory to my wife M.A.G. |
New England Mutual Life Ins. Co. of Boston, Massachusetts Charles D. Hill, General Agent West Missouri & Kansas Kansas City, Mo. May 1, 1898 Mr. David A. Gregory:
My Dear Cousin
Mrs. C.G. Dietterich |
Dr. A.K. Wier Physician ans Surgeon 1181/2 Main St.
Ranger, Texas Your Friend, (letter written to Grandma Gregory just before her death in Ranger, Texas by the family doctor for many years.) |
Jena Tuscaloosa Co. Ala. April 15, 1879 To Mrs. M.A. Gregory
Dear Sister and Family J.U. Cork to M.A. Gregory
A few lines to the boys (Jermiah U. Cork?) to Buck Frankling, Dave Gregory, Simp Gregory
whin this you see V. G. |
Simpson Gregory and Mollie Singleton issued Oct. 29, 1883 Married Oct. 31, 1883 License Recorded Oct. 31, 1883 on page 154 of Marriage record G.M.E. Andrews, Circuit Clerk State of Mississipi Lafayette County. |
Romulus, Ala. Mrs D. A. Gregory
My Dearest Aunt
Mary Gregory (letter mailed from Romulus Ala Feb 14, 1894 to Mrs. M.A. Gregory, Denmark, Mississipi.) |
C. G. DIETTERICH Dealer in Standard & Household Sewing Machines Needles Oils & Parts for all Machines Repairing all Kinds of Machines a Specialty 1023 E. 12th St. Kansas City, Mo The Standard Sewing Machine Company Kansas City, Mo. December 13, 1893 My Dearest Aunt: Your kind and very welcome letter of the 7th inst. came to hand in due time and don't know how glad I am to think I can hear from you. And it would give me so much pleasure to see you once more. I am going to see how much it will cost to go from here to Oxford. And if I ever see the time that we can afford it and we are both yet alive I shall see you. I am very sorry to hear of Babes death. Where did she live in Texas and where does Bob live. I mean in what town or county and tell me do you ever hear from my poor mother's children in Texas. I never hear from any of them. I have never written to any of the family since Ma died. You remember the Mrs. Cooper I lived with in Texas. Well she has buried two husbands and married a third one since I have been in this city. She is still in Texas. I hear from her quite often. She seems to think a great deal of me and I do the same of her. She was a good friend to me at a time when I needed one very badly, and I shall not forget her very soon. Well I have not heard from Uncle Dan since I last wrote to you. I fear he is sick. Well dear aunt you did not say anything about sending me your picture. Now I should be glad for anything if you would send me one of yours. Willie and Oscar are saving money to buy themselves a new suit of clothes and when they get them we will have our pictures taken and send to you.
(rest of letter to David A. Gregory) |
April the 13 1897
Ma and Ginger
as ever |
ten thousand children stand Children whose sins are all forgiven a holy happy land Its Chorus singing glory glory glory be to God on high What brought them to that world above that heaven so bright and fair Where all is peace and joy and love have come those children there Chorus Because the Savior shed his blood to wash away our sins Bathed in that pure and precious blood behold How white and clear Chorus On earth they sought the Saviours grace on earth they loved his name And now they see his blessed face and stand before the Lord. Chorus Mr. Dave and Simp Gregory (probably around the 1890's) |
Mr. D.A. Gregory
Dear Brother R.D.S.G. to D.A. Ma and Genger and sweet children |
( ) 1879
Dear Sister and family Mr. Sanders has it to do and Sister you know me well emough to know that that goes hard with me. ( ) You not long since ( ) was the first of the year. We was glad to hear from you and glad all ( ) that you had resoluition enough to get out to write. You can make something or get along in the world ( ) For the children be working themselves to death and making nothing. Now children be good boys and worke and I think your labor will make you something and Aunt Betty thinks of you all often and would be so glad to see you all once more. There was hardly a thing made hear this year. Nearly every body has their bread ( ) Also all the corn they can use there was such a heap. Well Sister I fell very bad and cant write much this time. I do want you to write often. I love to hear from you (hope) I don't ( ) I can ( ) hear much longer for my ( ) has nearly worn me out. I must close. We all (join in love) to yourself. Write soon and often to your brother and sister and children. G. W. and M.E. Sanders and children. Dear Niece and family I will try to write a few lines to let you know I have not forgotten you. I was glad to hear from you ( ) was well. You did not say anything about Mr. Morris. I am at a loss to know whether he is liveing or not and you did not tell me your child's name. Well Babe I do wish I could see you one more time. The children says tell you Santa Claus filled their stockings full of candy apples and oranges and shirga (sugar) cakes and Hiram a knife and (Miney) a little ( ). Write soon and often to your aunt Betty. Kiss the baby for me. To Babe Morris (or Norris) |
September 26, 1876
Dear Sister G. W. & M. E. Sanders to M. A. Gregory Dear Nephews I will write a few lines to you in answer to the one you written to me. I was glad to get your letter from my Dear little nephews that I always loved so dearly but I sould be a heap prouder to see you. Your Ma says that those you work for like you so well. I am glad you ar such good boys. You must take good care of your ma in her old age and afflections and dont turn again her and think more of see others as some other children do. Remember Aunt Betty and Uncle Wash. So far well Dear children for this time. Write to us for we love you.
M.E. Sanders to D. & S.G. |
Mr. D.A. Gregory
Dear Brother Simp to Ma and Dave and family.
Mr. Dave Gregory |