This Day in Georgia Civil War History
March 06, 1865
Soldier Wrote Fiance from Near Appomattox River
A Georgia soldier in Virginia wrote home to his fiance from near a river whose name would be known - and lamented - throughout the South in just over one month.
“In the trenches between the James and Appomattox rivers. … You will see by the caption of this letter that we’ve again been moving. We now occupy the lines recently occupied by Picketts’ Division. We only hope to remain here. We are tired of running about on the right of our lines. Here although the lines are near enough each other, to see the men on the works from one line to the other, there is not much probability of an engagement. We may have severe artillery duels; but then we have very good protection. So after all this is much the more preferable position. I think tho’ will leave here soon. Once more I’ve heard from home. This is the first time since I left. The cause of the delay having been so great was the gentleman who brought the letters was stopped in Augusta; he went back home and came round through the country, he was about 20 days on the road. …” Source: Clyde G. Wiggins III (ed.), My Dear Friend: The Civil War Letters of Alva Benjamin Spencer, 3rd Georgia Regiment, Company C (Macon, Mercer University Press, 2007), pp. 194-195.
