TOMLINSON Genealogy
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Jonas Tomlinson
CSA Letter
Updated 5 Jul 2003
Preface - Please read before you use my family data.
The following letter was written by Lt. Jonas Tomlinson, CSA soldier to his brother, John Tomlinson on 21 March 1863 from Savannah, GA.
Jonas was just a month shy of his 24th birthday.
Eight months later (22 Nov 1963), he married his 15 year old childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth "Betty" Roberts.
Lt. Jonas Tomlinson was captured by the Union Army on 22 July 1864, and spent the rest of the war at Johnson's Island, OH prison.
Jonas and Betty had eleven children, all born in Echols Co., GA.
Jonas and Betty (Roberts) Tomlinson are buried in the Cemetery located behind the Macedonia Baptist Church in Echols Co., GA
The text of the letter is below the copy of the letter.
We are grateful to J.B. Hunt for sharing this copy of the letter which was handed down to him by his great grandmother, Mollie Tomlinson Hunt, niece of Jonas, daughter of John.
Savannah Geo
March 21st 1863
I seat myself this eavening to write you a few lines which will inform you that I am well at this time, and hope those few lines will find you and family injoying the same blessing.
John I have no news to write worth your attention. I have not got you them things yet, I have not had the chance, I will get them as soon as I can and send them to you. I had Mary's ring fixed and will snd it to her in this letter. I am detached from the regt now and is doing duty in Savannah. I shall go on guard to knight at 8 oclock and come off at 2. my duty is to arrest all soldiers who I find in town after eight oclock without passes and carry them to the polise Barrox.
John two days ago I heard from my girl she wrote to me that her ma and pa took her by force and put her in a room and locked her up. and after she had bin there three days they went to her and wanted her to swear that she would not have me but she said she would not do it. They told her, then if she did not swear it, they would keep her there as long as she lived. they then kept her in there two weeks longer, and took four other persons and went to her and made her swear that she would never have me as long as she lived, so that made two weeks and three days they kept her locked up. she wrote to me as soon as she got out of prison, you can read this letter to mother but dont you let no one else see it what ever you do nor tell no body and tell mother what ever she does not to tell no person(.) she said she would tell me what she would do when she wrote again. she said Duffee was married.
John if I was out of this servis, or could come home for about 30 days I would lock her up. and with a better lock than her father locked her up with. his lock would never touch mine.
oh bud what amiserable life I am toiling out here. it is almost enough to brake the heart of a young hero.
your respct. Jonas Tomlinson
write soon