East Newmarket Dorchester Co Md [December 1870]
Dear Sir I Receved yore kind leter Concerning my Discharge in 1861 the manspation had not taken place but I was in the prtection By the youion Troops an Sat free by Presadence Lincon at the manspation I think in 1863 if I mis Stake not Sir I was a volentery Sirlder in 1862 inlested under Capt Crass incruting oficer in Newbren NC Craveing Co an I never has Receve Eny Bounty yeat Nether eny Back pay Sir all tho I had the promoust of bounty an all so back pay But my Lord and Savor Jesus Christ is Witness to day who knows All Things and Shall judge the world at the Last day knows I have not Receve a cent of Bounty Nether back pay I was Born in the year 1846 July the 4 A volen terry Sirlder A Slave up an Tell the manspation my Regament paper was to put in a frame an Set it up in a house an tell all the Batles that I had been in I Enlested for three years Sooner Discharge that was in case if the war Should End in Side of three years the 35 US Should be Discharge My Discharge was Stole in the city of Charleston S.C. if you wish to kno the commanding all I will send them to you Sir and every private Sirlder I come out the army in the year of 1865 the 22 of June
I was a Slave all of my life Tell the year of 1863 if you Wish to Know my Commanding Oficers an the mames of the private I will sen The names all To you if you wish Sir my Discharg paper I Loss it at Charleston SC Some [onas] Stole it Soon after I was discharge in abote at the Walf S.C. Sir I cant mot write very well an I lives so agreat wais of from eny one that can wrigh So I have to try an do it my self if you wish for me to come an State this to you at Baltimore I will Come sir will remain yore true obt
Charles Jones
Charles Jones to Lieut. S. E. Knower, [Dec. 1870], Case Files for Claims of Bounty & Pay Arrearages, ser. 2000, Claim Division, MD & DE Asst. Comr., Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Record Group 105, National Archives [A-4106]. Notations on the file wrapper indicate that the Freedmen's Bureau agent received this letter on December 27, 1870. In the same file is an earlier letter from Jones to the agent, dated October 17, 1870, which provides additional names relevant to his military career. Notations indicate that the agent had asked Jones for further information about his antebellum status, whether he had volunteered or had been drafted, and whether he had a copy of his discharge; hence Jones's December letter. The final outcome of the case is not known.
Published in Ira Berlin, Joseph P. Reidy, and Leslie S. Rowland, eds.,The Black Military Experience, series 2 of Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation (Cambridge University Press, 1982), pp. 798-99. Hypertext version courtesy of the Freedmen and Southern Society Project, University of Maryland.
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