Near Petersburge [Va.] August 19th 1864
Dear Madam I receave A letter from You A few day Ago inquir in regard to the Fait of Your Son I am sarry to have to inform You that thear is no dobt of his Death he Died A Brave Death in Trying to Save the Colors of Rige[ment] in that Dreadful Battil Billys Death was unevesally [mourned] by all but by non greatter then by my self ever sins we have bin in the Army we have bin amoung the moust intimoat Friend wen every our Rige[ment] wen into Camp he sertan to be at my Tent and meney happy moment we seen to gether Talking about Home and the Probability of our Living to get Home to See each other Family and Friend But Providence has will other wise and You must Bow to His will You and His Wife Sister and all Have my deepust Simppathy and trust will be well all in this Trying moment
You Inquired about Mr Young He wen to the Hospetol and I can not give You eney other information in regard to Him
Billys thing that You requested to inquired about I can git no informa of as in the bustil of the Battil every thing was Lost
Give my Respects to Samual Jackson and Family not forgeting Your self and Family I remain Your Friend
G. H. Freeman
G. H. Freeman to Madam, 19 Aug. 1864, enclosed in Rebecca Guy to the Adjutant General of the Army, 11 Mar. 1865, G-42 1865, Letters Received Relating to Recruiting, series 366, Colored Troops Division, Adjutant General's Office, Record Group 94, National Archives.
Published in The Black Military Experience, pp. 600–601, in Families and Freedom, pp. 208–9, in Free at Last, pp. 479–80, and in Freedom's Soldiers, pp. 128–29.