Camp Chase Letter of Captain Albert E. Earley

Camp Chase near Columbus Ohio
April 19th 1862

Dear Parents

This will inform you that I am well at present tho I have bin very sick for some time since I have bin a prisoner. C. S. Ray, T. L. Farmer and myself are all of our company that are here. Both of them have bin sick. Farmer is low yet but mending slowly. I think his recovery doubtful. T. F. Parker is at ft warren mass. I hear from him by letter every week. He has had a very bad spell of typhoid fever but is getting well again. The rest of our company are at indianappolis. I hear from them occasionally. They have suffered much with sickness but no deaths since they arrived at that place. Bro H. P. died at this place the 2nd day after we arrived here with pneumonia. He spoke to me calmly of his death a day or two days before he died. I waited on him as best I could until a few hours before he died when I was taken suddenly very sick & was confined to my bed for several days. Tully Ray & Farmer then waited on him till he died. We labeled the coffin & the officers promised to put the same on the head board. If I should live I want to remove his remains to Mississippi, as he made that his last request. We left seven of our co very sick at St Louis & have not heared from them yet, but I feel pretty sure that R. M. Tynes died. We lost in battle 3 killed. J. L. Walker, Ths Swiney, Wm Brevin. Two missing, F. C. Bryant & P. H. Richardson. Seven wounded, some severely. We had but 44 men of our co in the battle. We are treated well enough for prisoners. I haven't the most distant idea when we will be released, but hope the time is not far distant when this unholy war will cease & we be permitted to return to our homes in peace. I close by saying farewell.

A. E. Earley

Editorial Notes:
This letter was written by Captain Albert E. Earley just two months after the surrender at Fort Donelson. He, like other officers, was sent to Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio. All of the men mentioned are from his command, Company G, and lived in or near Marietta, Miss at the outset of the war. Here are some observations:

• He notes that Major Tully Parker, the man who raised Company G, was imprisoned at Fort Warren, and the majority of the company's rank and file were at Camp Morton in Indianapolis.
• Earley lost a brother at Camp Chase, Humphrey P., and desired that his body one day be returned to Mississippi. This never happened. Humphrey, only 18 or 19 at the time, is buried at Camp Chase.
• Earley's assessment about Thomas Farmer's "doubtful" survival was correct. Farmer died in prison.
• Earley's assessment about Robert M. Tynes was incorrect. Tynes, a physician, lived and served two more years with the 26th.
• Commissary John L. Walker, one of men killed, has this noted in his records: "On the morning of the 15 Feb 1862, he took his gun, went into the fight with his old Co. and was killed by a shot through the head."
• Earley mentions Peter Richardson as missing. As it turned out, Richardson, too, was a fatal casualty.
• Later in the year, Earley was exchanged and assumed his position at the helm of Company G.