Dear Cousins: Very recently this letter was shared with me by Arland W. Benningfield of Louisville, KY. I am very deeply indebted to him for it. I thought that it gives a deep insight into conditions in Central Kentucky during the Civil War. The letter was written by James Franklin Hunt to his brother John Green Hunt who, with other members of the family, had removed to Macoupin County, IL. The "Father" the writer refers to is Coleman Hunt, Sr. s/o Ambrose Hunt. "Mother" is Delilah Warren Hunt, Coleman's second wife. E. B. Hunt and "Lige" refer to Elijah B. Hunt. All these people can be found in the Hunt Gedcoms (see Ambrose Hunt of KY) at . It is a little long, but I think you will enjoy it. Dean Hunt Louisville, KY LETTER Marion County, Ky. Feb.28th, 1863 Dear Brother & Sister I seat myself this evening to write you a few lines to inform you that apart of us are yet alive on the land among the living and are in the enjoyment of common health at the present time hoping these few lines may find you with all in good health. I received (sic) your letter a few days since dated the first of this month. Was glad to learn you was (sic) yet alive. I had almost come to the conclusion that you was dead or in the Southern army, not having heard from you since this rebellion broke out; I wrote you a letter last Spring. but received no answer. Have received two or three from E. B. Hunt and he said could not hear from you, the last I heard from Lige he was Captain of a Cavalry company in the State service. As I said apart of us are yet alive. Death has visited our little family and swept from us some of our nearest relatives, even a dear Mother and Aunt, on the 29th of Oct Mother departed this life. She was confined to her bed about four weeks with numonia (sic), suffering greatly all the time. She expressed a perfect willingness to die all the time. Finally in her expiring moment when perfectly in her right mind she clasped her hands and said she rejoiced that the time had come that she would meet her Savoir and shouted victory over death in a dying hour. She often talked of you through the last year. She felt like you was dead. Said she would be glad to see you once more in this life, but as life is uncertain and death sure, friends are often separated to no more in this world. Old Aunt Milly died the 24th of January lacking five days of being three months diference in their deaths. I was at the burial of Cordelia Reed this evening. These with numerour of our old friends have died since I wrote to you. Old Richard Parrott, Jesse Morris, Wm. Carlile, Jim Mat Rivers, John Feather Jr., John Short and others. I haven't any news of importance to write at the present time. We have had some troublesome times in Old Ky. with the Rebels through the past year, but the flag of the UNION still floats victoriously over our old native State. Produce provisions and money plenty. Corn is worth 2.00 dollars per barrel; pork 4 cts per puond; wheat 75 to 100 per bu stock low. You requested to know our ages---- Father was born Apr 1st 1788, making him 75 Mother was born Oct 4th 1793, making her 69 I was born Apr 18th 1835, making me 28 Lizie was born Aug 28th 1833, making her 30 Lissa was born June 13th 1841, making her 22 Billy was born Sept 5th 1845, making him 17 Inclosed you will find a lock of Mothers hair which you will keep in rememberance of a kind and loving Mother and now dear Brother my prayers is that we may be prepared to meet that Mother in the sunbright clime of endless glory. I must close for want of room. Write just as soon as you get this. I am as ever your true Brother James F. Hunt to John G. Hunt