Peter M. Barker (b. in Tennessee ca. 1821) was a farmer in Newberg, Franklin County, Mississippi at the time of the 1860 census. He served as a lieutenant in Co. A, 27th Alabama Infantry and was taken prisoner when Ft. Donelson surrendered in February, 1862. Baker’s father was born in North Carolina and his mother in South Carolina. His letter is directed to his older brother, John Randolph Barker, back on the farm they operated jointly. The 27th Alabama consisted of men from Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Mobile, Madison, and Morgan Counties. After Fort Donelson surrendered, enlisted men were usually sent to Camp Butler in Springfield, Illinois or Camp Douglas in Chicago. Junior officers were sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, and field officers (major and above) were sent to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor.