(Mrs. R. L. Judkins)

(Rebecca Jane Spratley)

 

In Prison Johnsons Island Ohio

Near Sandusky Ohio

February 28^th 1864

 

Cousin Rebecca

                                    Many months have passed since my imprisonment, yea eight, and many times have I written to you & Grandmama, but have not up to the present time received a line from you. Why have you not written & what has been the cause of your silence. Is it that you have not received my letters? That may be the cause Write at once & give me news of you all. Letters are the only alleviators of the monotony of our prison life. If it were not for my cousins in New Orleans I know not what I would do. They write me regularly every week & try in every means possible to cheer me in my present situation. I have no news or any thing to write of except myself, so be content with an uninteresting prison letter. Our little Isle is once more separated from land & surrounded by water. The wrath of old Boreas has very much subsided & the ice is almost entirely out of the bay. The little steamer runs from sandusk & the prison is in just the same state it was last week. The monotony is not varied. I have received a few letters from home but not one for nearly two months. I am now in fine health, it being much better than for a long time past. My love to Grandmama, Aunt Rebecca & all of the family. What has become of Cousin Pattie?

 

You can write only one page letter size paper but write soon & now accept the best wishes &c of

                                                                                   

Your Cousin

J. Walter Spratley

 

Send envelope with address                                                   

            and stamp do write

                        immediately

 

[top margin]

 

enclose your letter to Commission of Exchange Richmond Va

endorsed for flag of truce.

SOURCES