I have attempted to transcribe these letters and post them here in a way that most closely represents the originals in character, but not layout. Therefore, all manner of error is preserved, except that I have made a few changes in punctuation, etc., which I feel had I not done, the outcome would have been positively confusing or mis-leading. Anything written in italics within square brackets is my editorial comment - Gregg Bonner.]

Richmond Virginia

Dear wife I now take the optunity of informing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time hopeing those few lines may find you all well I have nothing of importanc to wright to you now we have no new war fight to tell you of I will sent to you ten Dollar By tim Pitmond for you you must save as much as posible to pay Ed Burns for the land I Dont want you to pay for the land tell it is fix up rite Bill Penticost owes me 14 Dollards he is to pay it this fall I want it to go in the paing for the land I want you to Be cearfull and have ever thing fix rite be fore you spend are cent to ward the land I wrote a few line to Bill Penticost a Bout the land I want Bill Pentycost or Sikes to take a dollar & get a Dollar worth of nail & Sike or & two or three of the Boys to fix up my stable & corn Crib for me.

John Cottle

D Tomlinson
Part ends
You must wright to me ever week & let me no how you Recieve letter so Good By

John Cottle

John C. Cottle

Dear Wife,
I embrace this opportunity to drop you a few liness to inform you that I am well except a bad cold, we have movved from Richmond to yorktown about 80 or 100 miles from Richmond down towards the Atlantic ocean I think we are near the ocean we left Richmond on the 13th about 3 oclock PM and traveled by on the cars to west point where we found ourselves at yorktown where we got on board a Steam boat and came down to yorktown and landed about 3 oclock on the 14th AM and went ashore and brought out our baggage and built up a fire thowed down our blankets on the sand and tumbled down and Slept Soundly until day, after day we we Stired around and looked around and Saw a heap of curiosities went up on the the hill where they have a battery of Six cannon fixed up that would shoot with accuracy two miles.
I could see the Lincoln Blockade down the river Seven miles we dont know how long we will stay at this place we are stationed about a half mile or three quarters from the river, this is the very place where where Lord Cornwallis Surrenderd to george Washington there is breastworks thrown up nearly all around us and cannon planted at Several points we are well prepared fir the yankees but we dont think they are going to try us, we left our sick at Richmond we left about 20 of our Company there misty cases of the Measles Several of them I think will be well enough in a few days, to come on to us, you can tell Tomlinsons folks that he is well also Vances folks that john is enjoying tolerable good health I dont think it is necessary to send me any clothing except my overcoat and a pair or two of socks and a pair of gloves, I want you to write at least once a week whether you get any letter from me or not, you have better chance to write than I do.

Monday morning Sept. 16 /61
We have heard that there had been a battle fough on the 15 of this month in the north west part of this State it is thought that the loss is about 500 in killed on each side but the southern boys got the best of the fight and also another fight to the same time at at Norfolk there we rousted them again killing 900 and they kill 500 of ours some of the boys who have been here four months say we can call together eighty thousand men in three hours waving wee are very wile perepared and we are here where we gained our freedom once before and we thing we will gain it here again if you have wrote any letter and directed to Richmond you need not be uneasy about it they will be forwarded on to us there was nineteen yankee prisoners Brought in to Richmond just before we left there and among them a little boy that has come into our Regiment to beat the drum for us it is said that we are allowed to go home three times in a year and allowed twenty days each time the first time we go free of charge but after that we have to pay our way I want to go home about Christmas if I can, I will close I remain your afectionate husband until death
John C Cottle
To N. C Cottle
Wrote By Obadiah Whitaker

Dear husband

My Dear i recieved youre of the 9th last night at nine or ten OClock Mr Vance brought them from the office I can frely say that I never was prouder in my life O john i never knew what it was to be glad to recieve a ltters before i recieved them from you yeas and to heare that you were well relieves my mind of a burdan for a while ) i know that you cannot be as well their as if you weare at home with us john i cant help but greave about how you fair i know that you never weas used to laying and sleeping so hard and i exspect sleep cold you never have rote to me wither you have any blankets or not allthough i hope you have plenty i must tell you something about how we are geting on we are all well except the baby she i dont think has ben well in two or three days she is verry freitful at times the boys are at home this week there is no school this week they are doging about all day doing little jobs they all groo verry fast and are verry mischievous and bad they allways want me to right something bout them Mary-etta can talk as plain as any child of her age and is as sweet as she can be i know you want to see her i hug and kiss her evry day for you i do hope and pray that the time is not far distant when you can be with us yeat it is your duty to be away from us and will ever be an honer to your children and self and country you wanted to know how Chafin and M M Manus and john strain geting of in regard to geting off in thier Crountys defence they are the same as when you left they will go when they are made to go they will lye back here untill then and talk of thier gold mines and bout washing gold and makeing a dime or two i dont go a mbout them i hear from them some times ) they are a set of selfish courards yeas john dont youa doubt but what i remember every word that you said to me yeas and have thought of every word thousands of times will never forget a single silable i will allways do and ack according to your wish i will never do any thing against your will if a have allway bin indepedent to all such i will never ask them any favers whatever i rote you that i would send you some Clothes by Mr Roberson i must now disspute it and tell you that i will only send you Coat and pair of socks and one pair of gloves by Mr Robberson as i have not got the others ready to send i will have all ready by the last of next week and will box them up and send them i sent to get some good shoes for to send you but they wear all sent off to the soldiers if you dont get a pair of them rite to me and as soon as Mr Wood makes some more i will get a pair and send you i want you to wear a flanin shirts this winter if i fail to get flannin do you get some and have you one or two shirt made i know you will be healther to wear flanins john i have company to night but i am obliged to rite you to night Mary Vance and emely Dinglar is with me to night that have bin singing some times and now have retired and left me and my Candle is nearly burned out i have a new pen and must rite you a lenthey letter you will think after while that i dont rite to you no other time only night is is my Choise to rite at night i will inform you report sais that Mackee has sold his land crop and all is going to move up near the tenesee line i wish i had something to rite that would interrest you some john recieved the seat of war i was glad to get it you may know that i was glad to get it you may know that i was glad Mr brown ask me to lon it to him a day or two i done so he will take good care of it only thing that you send me is near and dear to me so you rote you said you Could not make your last letter as interresting as the one of the 20th it is as interresting you must not grumble grumble after makeing so compleet a letter i liked to forget to tell you that recieved the ten dollars that you sent me by Mr pitmanand five by robberson i havent reciv_ the paper paper that sent me im verry ankeous to get one john some of your company rites that they are doing better and that they pray are you behind times john i want you to pray and do better and let me hear of it and i will then be better satisfied you need not be surprised if words are bloted with the a tears i never knew what it was to shed teare befor nor what trouble was untill now i will Close good bys my Dear your affectionated wife
N C Cottle
to john Cottle

you sent me two seed in your letter by Mr pitmon i want to know the manre of the seed and when to plant them

tell Mr tomlinson that Mr tomlins__ was here this evening she was well and rest of the family was well allso the rest of the volenters family so far as i know is well we dont hear of any sicness among the people here

My Dear husband,
I to day have recieved your welcom letter of the 15th inst and with my feelings much relieved have sed myself to rite you a few lines to let you know how glad i was to hear from you and to hear that you wear well excepting cold we are all well at this time and hope when this reach you it will find you enjoying good health I heard that you all had moved some whear I heard you had moved to washington and exspecting to take the citty the 23 of this mounth. it is though he here that when that battle is fought peace will be made i was sorry to hear that you all left part of company behind yeat i hope they are with you before this time we had not heard of any late battle was exspecting to hear of a battle at washington every day we were glad to hear of the southern trups geting the best of the fight at Norfolk. Couson Sanferd Sheppard [very likely a grandson of the Benjamin C. Shepherd who married Cassandra Montray 04 October 1797 in Warren County, Georgia] was stationed when last i heard from him if alive i exspect was in that battle yeas John when i recieved your interreting letter i was with a wandering mind hard at work to finish a pair of pants and a shirt to send off to marrow to you i have sent your over coat and one pair off sock and one pair gloves by Mr Roberson and a letter also ) and i want you to inquire for them and get them i saw queen ford at Mr Vances the other day she told me that bill henson had the letter i started to you by Mr Roberson i recon you will get them i am going to send you one shirt and pair of pants and one pair socks if Mr Brown can get to town in time to send them by Mr McClintock if not i shall be foold you stated that you did not think worth while to send you any clothes all the soldiers will be recieving new clothes i want you to have some to i will not dens you any more untill you write to or send for them that is if these that I have got fixt up gets of to you John i have put a pocet in your shirt did i do right or wrong i would like know perhaps you will find some use for it if not take your knife and rip it off i did not put it there to stay if it was not of servise i have more clothes to make you must have wolin shirt anhd draws i think i will have all prepard for you in week woll is dollar for pound and there is not a yard of flanin in lagrange yeat i have not lost all hope of geting some for you but i should fail don't do without it if you can get it there I have no news worth relating Milton Smith and Sarha has a fine son in stead of calling his name Jefferson Beauragard they call him Jorden Tilmon. Thomas send you word that school is broke and he is very sorry he sais is going to keep up studing his book you would be surprised to hear him read the firs thing after he eats his supper he gets his Book studys untill he gets sleppy School broke yesterday Johny and the baby talks of you every day but you mist not let us here at home trouble your mind no dont greave I can greave un-nouth for you and myself to you must be in good heart you know we want to see you but it is imposible but i will wait uth plesure untill you return again i know you are parted from us in good couse it croses my mind aften that the time is not far distan when youll will all come home yes when the war is all over then home youll all come away with your muskets the ladys lift your drum your passport to beaty you will hear it with a leer that the boy for me he was a volentere yes it seems to me the time will soon be when i shall be happy again it greaves me to think you have moved on farther but it perhaps its for the better i hope it is Mr Pentecost recieved the letter you rote him last saturday he went to the school house to preaching on sunday and come by here for me to read it he promised me that he would see Mr burns and talk with him about this land and then rite to you this week i have never told you that Zeak tounwell had moved back here to the john bunt house i have never seen them but they are there i supose that Mr pitmon has the measles i recon they will get all bout here i want to keep myself and children close i dont want to get them you have never wrote to me wither you have bin sick since you left home or not i mean wither you have had the fever or any diseas i sorry to hear that you had bad cold you must prepar you some remerdy for colds you can verry easly do so i have bin mighty lucky in geting letters from you i get one evry week and rite one back to you every week I want to make you some saves and send you i know the cold winds keeps your hands and lips chaped badly no you need not be ceartain that your cloths will Mr Brown has to go and fix them off in the morning i send your clothes rapt in a towel for you with your name rote on it tell Mr tomlinson that his folks wear all well last sunday Mrs tonlinson and Cindy lue and dinky was here Mr vance rites to john by Mr McClintock you must never neglect to rite to me never as long as you have a friend and i hope the tim will come when they shall be reward for thier trouble i believe it iwll i have recieved six letters from you since you have bin in Virgina and this is the fifth one i have sent you must excuse me for writing such long letter i cant help writing i will close for this time take care of yourself as good as you can and get the scelps and come home ) and when you come come to stay half your time alowed 60 day some to stay thirty so good bye my dear untill next time
Narcisus C. Cottle
to John C. Cottle

i am glad you are so well prepard for yankeys and hope you will have all the good luck that can be bestord in gaining liberty and freedom and i think you will for i believ we have the heavenly father on our side so we ned not to fear

teach Northern yankeys before this time next year the Death they must diye by the brave volunters

Yorktown, VA Sept. 30th the 1861
My dear wife it is with grate pleasure that I seat my self this morning to answer your kind letter which I received sept the 19 dated Sept. 13 and I was truely glad to hear from you and to hear that you was all enjoying resonable potion of health your letter found me enjoying as good health as you might expect the weather has been very changeable for a few days and I have been suffering with a cold but am getting nearly well of it, I want to see you and the childrenall very bad, and am going to try to get off and come and see you all about Christmas if I can but I think it is very uncertain when I can get off I may get off sooner or I may not get off so soon. I have also received a letter last saturday by Capt. Robertson of date 18th sept I have received five letters from you one of them while we was at Montgomery and four here, you wanted me to let you something in regards how I was living I would hust State, to you that I am trying to do the best I can I think I am living a different life to what I did when I was at home and I hope the prayers of you all there at home will continue to ascend in behalf of us all who have left our homes and loved ones and shouldered our muskets to drive the accursed foem from our soil, in which we think we have received assistance from him who rules the destiny of nations, and you need not be surprised at all if peace is made before Cristmas and we are all at home once more, yet we may have a bloody time of it yet, I received my Coat and a pair of socks, & gloves by Capt R, and I have now got clothes. Plenty to do m until I come home if I come as soon as I expect to, if I need them before I come home I will send for them I dont want you to send me any more now, there is a man joined our Regt who came in a Louisanna Regiment, he says that Frank S. Shepherd [probably son (born about 1836) of Narcissus' maternal uncle, James Montray Shepherd] is in that Regt stationed at Richmond I have wrote to him since we have been here but have not got any answer I did not know he was there untill we left there, Dick shepherd [probably another son (born about 1840) of Narcissus' maternal uncle, James Montray Shepherd] also join a company but got sick before they started I saw Frank & Mercer Glenn yesterday was a week ago. Thomas Glenn belongs here but he is gone home on a furlow the all belong to the sixth georgia Regt, John Glenn is at Manassas [John Cottle's older brother William had married Elizabeth Ann Glenn; Frank (born about 1842) and Mercer (born about 1833), and probably the others also, are brothers of Elizabeth], you stated that that it looked like every body that cared any thing for their country was leaveing for the war it is the case here and I am sorry to hear that there are so many there that have to stay at home to attend to their gold mines. I expected to write more but I intend sending this by Jack Wood and he is about starting and I have to close I remain your affectionate husband intil death

John C Cottle

O. Whitaker

Randolph Ala September 30th 1861

my Dear husband I with plesure seat myself this evening to drop you a few lines to inform you that we are all well at present and hope when these lines reach you they will find you enjoying good health we have bin a few days back some of us verry puny but have got well I com__ again I and the children have ha__ and __ yeat verry busy __ ___ some foder we are not done puling yeat i think we will get done in a few days the children have a fine chance of hay saved they are bringing in thier ___ pumpkins and cushars and laying them up for winter season which is approaching very fast here we have __ __ front yeat but have bin exspecting some the weather has bin __ cool for three or four days back i hope there will not be any frost in tow or three weeks yeat i wish i could see you to night if you could only spend this winter us i could tell you so much that i cannot rite you i do hope that peace will be made and you will get home before Christmas i will wait with patience if you will only try to come gome they i know that you have as good excuse to come home as any man you a wife and four little that loves you as dear as ever a father was loved yeat i know that it was for us as well as your Country Sake that you are their to share a soldier fair if i was ceartain that you wear satisfied and as healthy only as you wear when at home i could rest much easier john i know that you are not sound and well in the winter i know that you have a Cough and bad Colds throug the winter if you would get some ginger and beat it up fine and get some sugar and it mix it up together and take will help your cough i think of you every hour yes every minute how you are exsposed to wind and rain and soon there will be snow falling i recon i have nothing interresing to rite you i wish i did have Mrs pentecost requested me to rite to yuo to know whear her brother Marian Arington was what company he was in she wants to know bill sanders passed here this morning going over in the berlisher settlement he sais he is going to move back here some where i must tell you something about the meeting at bear creek it commenced Saturday last they had a powerful meeting sunday and sunday night shouting the like never was heard Mary McCkey is a regular shouter they have a fine time up there john i have never recieved the paper you said you would send me i dont know wither you have started it to me or not would like to know i would be verry glad to reciev the paper perhaps i could enjoy myself better of sundays when i am so lonesome my mind is very wandring to night i can not rite as i wish i hope that i am excuseble for all mispelled and improper worde john i dont want you to think but what we are doing well here at home yeat i want you to come and see how we are doing you may tell Mr tomlinson that Mrs tomlinson and famaily was well yesterday so i will close for this time nothing more at present remaining your tru and affectionate wife untill death
Narcissus C Cottle
to john C Cottle

Deer wife and children i this morning seat myself to right yu a few lines to let yu no that i am well as good be expected hoping when these lines reaches yu they will find yu and all of the children ingoing good helth i reveived your letter that yu rote the 30 of sept and it gave me great satisfaction to read hit and to heer that yu was all well i want yu to right to me whether yu have received arry letter from me _____ i hav bin her o_ not for this makes the third letter i have rote to yu sence i have bin her and yu never rote to me whether yu had receide ary one or not Thomas i wante yu to be a go__ boy and mind your Mau untill i return hiome Jimmy i want yu to ne a nice and a perty boy and obey your mother untill i return return home Johnny i want yu to ne a and and a nauce boy untill i return home and let maryettee remain as prety as ever and i write ui all to ciss her evry day for me i wood give any thing in this world that i cood se yu all at this time but it is out of my power yu Narcis yu rote to me that yu wood be conntented if yu node that i wood come home about christmast yu nede not be afraid but what i will come that is if timse dont get no worse than they are at this time yu rote to me somthin concerning the paper that i was a going to send to yu i payed the money to to Jim gwin which they was five of us paye at the same time and if yu dont get hte paper i am a going to have the money back i have sent yu five panplits and one leter sence yu started the ansure back to me for the first letter i sent ot yu and i want yu to right to me whether yu got them or not Narcis i rote to yu to have my corn crib and stables coverd and yu have never answ__ it yet and if yu hant i want yu to try and se if yu can get any of the neighbors aronde in the settle ment to civer them for me also i rote to William penticost to pay that money that he ode me to yu and A__ i rote to him to go and se burns and tell him that i wonte to kipe the land and i want ot pay for hit but as i draw my money her and he has never rot me any answer yet an yu tell him that i wan him to right to me and let me no what he had don about hit and if it is ageable all aroun for me to kipe the i want yu to have tha field rowed in wheat and will send tu more to by the sede whete Just as soon as i dra_ my money her we are a looking to draw out monthly wages evry week wich will be thirty four dollars and a half for three month i had like to have forgotten to tell yu all of our oficers is a wanting to cary us back to alabamma to winter but i want not whether they will do hit or not Narcisus her is a song ballet i will send to yu so i so i must bring my letter to a Close yu mus excuse my bad spelling and righting and be sorry that this let i cood not make my letter interresttin so nothin more at present but remains your efectionate husband untill deth

J C Cottle to Narsissus C Cottle i had like to have forgotten to tell yu about them seeds i sent to yu the name of them is the balsom apple yu plant them in the spring Narsissus yu goan tell Mr Vance that John was gone up about fiftene miles above her when Mr Maclintic got her to recruite is helth and i got the letter that yu sent by Mr Maclintic and Also i have got the one that they sent in mine and i a goin to send them to him this evaning

I had like to have forgoten to tell yu about Marian Arington yu can tell Miss Penticost that i saw him in richmon but i did not ask him what comany that he belong too but i expect that he has gone to manus__ [Manassas] so nothing more at present so good by tell i her from yu againe

Dear husband
I tonight make one more effert to drop you a few lines to let you know how we are we are enjoying tolerable good health at this time hopeing when this reach you it will find you enjoying good health we have some of us bin poly jimmy have had verry bad risers in his head had verry high fevers for three og four days was very sick he has got as well as ever i have had some of the wirst risers on my arm have one on my finger at this time wich pesters me much i hardly know how to rite this is the third attempt that I make to rite this week john i want to know have you forgotten me or have you no friends to rite for you or or what can be the reason that i dont get letter from you i havent received a letter from you in three weeks i believe that if alive you have rote to me and i have never recieved the letters i have not recieved but one from you since you moved to York town i have sent you three and this is the forth since i recieved your last one i have heard from you since by Mr tomlinson letter to his wife and i all so recieved som interresting pamplets that you sent me i saw on one of them that you wear well Sept 2_th this keeps me in better heart john i am so thankful that you have not forgotten how i love to read yes if i could have only got the paper you subscribed for i would have had them for my Sabath companion i am sorry that the paper dont come as you wished me to have them i would have bin more than glad to have recieved them john i am sorry to tell you that Mr burns sais that you cant have the land that you once paid for unless you pay him betw now and or Christmas Mr pentecost saw Mr burns about it burns said that he is going to tend the land next year his self i have thought that i would make it convenant to be at Mr vances some time when Mr burns was passing by there and would pick up reserlution and speek to Mr burns about the land myself if i do so i will rite to all he sais about it if he is disspose to act rong about the land let him do so we have a piece of land that we cant be ronged out of we can have a home still. This is a rainy night how lonesome to me the children have bin beating out some pease to night have done thier task and have gone to bed to rest untill morning when they will get up and prepare for thier days work wich will be to pick peas if it is not raining thommas is a smart boy he cuts all the wood that we burn he gets up every morning and maks on a fire in both rooms he is buisy throu the day and at night if he has nothing to do he studdys his book wee have a good stack of fodder saved and fifty bundles of hay and right some of cut corn thommas can pull and tye up foder as good as i can if you could come home and make a crop i think you could have some help i hope the time is not far distant when you all come home O hasten one that blessed day john i want to see you but it is imposable dont greave nor trouble your mind about home but come home if you can and as soon as you can and stay for as long as you can we are waiting verry paisantly for Christmas to come to see you you must rite to wither you got the cloth i sent you or not i sent some by Mr Roberson and some in a box with Sidny reaves cloths shirt and pants in the box with his you must rite to when i must sned some more i have socks and Clothing ready for you i want yuou to have them before you need them bad i will tell you soomething about who is going to live close to me next your i recon John Grant is going to live at the ab bunt place he has rented it. Siks is going to live at the john bunt place and i exspect that Zeek townwell will live whear siks lives bill sanders has moved back i have seen Mrs sanders she calld in when passing to McMeanas they ar liveing at Mr Robersons in Craft old house i think that they had better be fixing to go in defense of their Country insted of moveing back here i supose that your papa is to be up here in a week from now i want to send you some things bye male if i can i wish that i could know what you need i would try to send to you i want you john if youo get sick or poly to come home and stay untill you get stout we have not had any frost here yeat but have bin looking for some we will make good many potatoes how i wish that i could send you some you need not be surprised if i send you some john i haveall the mony you sent me excepting three dollars i want to bye some chickings i have four nice little guinys that groo very fast john if you wear not to pay postage on your letters perhaps i could get them i dont know why i cant get letter from you you can tell Mr tomlinson that his family wear all well last week the neighbors round are well generly i believe i must bring this to a Close So i live you in the presence of an all wise god and wish you to believe dear husband that i am your tru and affectionated wife untill Death

Narcissus C Cottle
John C Cottle

Dearest of husbands i to night with a trouble mind seat my self to drop you a few lines to let you know that we are all well at this time hopeing when this reach you it will find you well and doing well john i have heard that you wear verry sick O what wear my feeling when i head it O what would i give wear it in my power to be with you i never knew what trouble was before it nearly kills me to think that you are away their so far from me sick and i cant be with you O john if you are on the mend take care of youself and dont be exsposed Mr heid told me that you had bin verry loe but was on the mend take care of your self and as soon as you can traveal come home and stay untill you get sound and well thear will be men comeing back here that will being you home and i think you have friend there that will help you to get off be sure to take care of yourself and try to come home as soon as you can i know that you are not sound and cant stant the winter their i think you ought to be discarged for good while i hope and trust that you will come home and stay untill Sound and well i cant rite you much to night i am in a poor condision for writing my life is no satisfaction to me i never exspect to see any moore pleasure while i live i know that you will not be able for any servise this winter i think that they will willingly discarge you untill you get able for servic i will i hope feel more like riteing in a few days i will rite you a more lenthy letter may our hevenly farther aid Direct and bless you ) good bye untill next time
i am dear husband yours truly
Narcissus C Cot__
to john C Cottle

i recieved a letter from Nancy ben has volunteerd and gone to war [Benjamin S. Parker (born about 1838) was Narcissus Cassandra (Parker) Cottle's brother. Nancy (born about 1835) was Ben's wife.]