Cherokee County Ala
September 3rd 1861
Dear Brother and family and Sisters
I now propose to write you a few lines
that you may know that I am Still numbered
among the living tho am just geting up out of
a Severe Spell of Sickness the flux has Raged
Excessively in our Country for the last Six weeks or
two months Causing a great many Deaths but
has now pretty much abated joseph Martin Died
in april 11th Day not of flux however
Wm H Barkleys oldest Son Wm J H Som
four years old Died 18th of july of flux
Samuel M. Barkley my Son Died 11 th of August
of flux and many of the Neibourhood Died of
flux emily Wilson is now sick tho Better
in answer to your inquing about the names of
Wm and Andrews children I answer Williams
Anna Elizabeth,, Hanah Vashti,, William
Thomas Washington,, Asa Lafayette,,
of Andrews William, John Haley,,
Cynthia Anna,, Andrew Jackson,,
you ask who and how many of our connections
is in Camps Draton Lafayette Rains
is in the Service and prehaps Banister
Rains H. F. M Wilson is in the Service
Not So very many of us but we are all
but we are all Southern men No Idea of
living to see the South Subjugated
our Crops of wheat was fair average our Corn
in excelent we think we think we can keep
our soldiers in good fighting order for two years
on the Crop we now have on hand
[page 2]
I Received a letter from Polly Barkley and
her daughter Sarah Carter also from Micajah
Trap Waher also James Wilson So will
please show them this letter as it is design
for you & all also george Washington Manly
I am now old almost 77 years I Do not feel like
I should ever feel able to travel to S. C. again
but would be glad to see any and all of you
these you know is war times Consequently
money is Scarce but we have plenty to Eate
Drink and ware however Salt and Coffee is
hard to get but we can Do with Coffee and Can
make Salt within our Confederacy plenty in fact
I Do not believe that there is a Spot upon the face
of this Green earth the Sise of the Southern
Confederacy that can come nearer producing
every essential for the support of human
Nature than this Confederacy can
I have now written all I can think
of and perhaps as much as you can Read
I therefore Close asking however that
you write soon and often Direct to Blue
Pond Cherokee County Alabama
yours as Ever
William Barkley
To Josiah M Barkly
and Elizabeth Barkley