Thomas Jefferson HODNETT.....my 2g-grandfather.....was born in Troup Co, GA, 15 May 1828....he was the son of William Collier HODNETT & Caroline FINLEY....Thomas married Celestia Lenora KIMBROUGH, 12 Feb 1852 in Harris Co, GA.....

I believe that William & Caroline had 14 children (10 sons and 4 daughters): George T. (middle name has been shown as Troup and also Tip), Thomas Jefferson ("Jeffy"), Benjamin Franklin, Mary, Elizabeth ("Lizzie"), James Madison ("Jimmy"), Susan ("Lovie"), John Wesley, Samuel Graham ("Sammy"), William Henry, Robert R, Lovick Pierce, Martha Ann, Columbus Ayres ("Lummie").....I would appreciate any corrections, regarding these names....

William & Caroline watched 7 of their sons leave home to fight in the Civil War....only 3 returned alive....Thomas, Samuel & William Henry were among only 18 survivors of Company K, GA 13th Reg, who surrendered with their beloved commander, Gen. Robert E. Lee, at Appomattox, 9 Apr 1865.

Thomas served in "Evans Guards", Co K of the GA 13th Regiment, Evans' Brigade, Gordon's Division, Army Northern VA....he enlisted for the duration of the war on 1 May 1862, at La Grange...following the battle of Gettysburg, he wrote a soulful letter to his family in GA, revealing a heart that truly melted my own...the letter also reveals the weariness and sadness of the war...the original letter is housed in the HODNETT COLLECTION, "Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library" at Duke University...the following is a transcription of my copy...I gave the letter a title for the purpose of my own scrapbooking....

One line in the letter was hard to read, but it appears to be, " was wounded". *

Several men are mentioned in the letter...I have tried to find out what I could about these men.....info follows the letter....

Suzy Martinez..........

"My Eyes Has Seene A Heap......"

Camp near Darksville, Va
July the 18th 1863
Mr Wm Hodnett

Dear Father Mother Brothers and Sisters

I now set my self to drop you a few lins to let you all now how I am. My health is tolable at this time. John and Samual is hear with me. I dont hear no complant with them only Samual feet is very sore from marching. Wm Thomas is at Jordans Spring near Winchester. He was left thare when we pass through going to Pennsylvania. I heard from him day before yesdiddy, he had bin right sick but is geting up a agane. He hant bin well since the Fredericksburg fight. It will be some time yet I recond before he come up, at least I hope he wont come untill he gets able to stand it.

I hope that these lines will reach you all in dew time and will find you all in the injoyment of good health which is so great a blessing.

Dear Parents, my eyes has seene a heap sence I rote to you last and I have great reason to be thankful that I am yet spared while so many has fallen and are now realiseing eternity. I oftain feel that I cant be thankful a nuff to allmity God for his tender merceis to me in sparing my life through so many dangers in the great battle that was fout at Gettysburg. Thare was ten of our Company wounded and too kill. Tom Gafney and Wm Wills was kill. Nat Moss, Jack Edmondson, Jackson, Beb Sledg, Seboar Phillips, Rily Wise, Wm Jons, Wm Andrews, Crum Wore.....(hard to read). *

Crum Wore, pow fellow he was my file leader when he was shot dow he look up in my fase and sed, Jeffy I am hit, take me way. You cant tell how it made me feel to leave him thare but I was a blige to do it. We wasn't alowed to stop to carry of the wounded after we was holted. I saw a heap of the battlefield, oh what a sene to see the wounded, the dead, the diing. Oh my Goh, how long shal this war last, the Lord only nows. I thout wonce that maby so it might scls this fall, but now I haven't no hopes of it.

I beleave it will last untill we are umble as a nation. Oh what will it take to umble us. It look to me that a solger can see a nuff hear to cause him to reflect and to turn to the great I Am, but it looks like the solgers are harden to evrything and thare nothing that will cose them to reflect. Oh that we wore all devoted the servis of God and then we woodent have nothing fear, but oh how far from it.

To change, I hear that there was a call for eight thousen more troops from Ga. It semes that they will all be taken from home. I dont now what the wimen and children will do if the men is all call in to the feld. I was verry to hear that Vicksburg had fallen. It seme that we are geting in a criticel condishion but I hope that the Lord will with us and that this war may soon stop and that we may be permitted to meet on earth agane.

I must close. I feele sorry that we cnat hardly get any letters from thare. If John wasent hear with us I dont think that we wood hardly ever hear from you all. Sister Lizebeth rights to him and we can hear from you that way. I hope that some of you will right oftainer for I will assure you that it is a great satisfaction to hear from you all. Nothing more at present. I remane your son

T. J. Hodnett

From the GAGenWeb Archives, http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/troup/military/civilwar/rosters/cok13.txt
I found info regarding men that I believe were named in Thomas' letter.....I would appreciate corrections, if I have identified the wrong person.........

Hodnett, T. J. -- Pvt - May 1, 1862. Surrendered, Appomattox, Virginia April 9, 1862.

Thomas Gaffney, Pvt, Killed at Gettysburg, PA, 1 Jul 1863.

William Wills, Pvt, Killed, Gettysburg, PA Jul 1, 1863.

U.S. (or H.S.) Moss, Pvt. Wounded & captured at Gettysburg, PA 2 Jul 1863, died in hospital 27 Jul 1863.

Edmondson, John C. -- Pvt - Jul 8, 1861. Appointed 3rd Corporal. Captured, date and place not given. Paroled at Fort Delaware, DE and transferred to City Point, VA for exchange, Aug 1, 1863. Wounded in leg, necessitating amputation above knee, at Spotsylvania, VA May 12, 1864. At home on wounded furlough close of war. (Born in GA Jul 7, 1840.)

Jackson, Enoch -- Pvt - July 8, 1861. Killed at Wilderness, Virginia May 5, 1864.

Sledge, Robert H. -- Pvt - Admitted to General Hospital at Charlottesville, VA with fever June 16, 1862. Returned to duty June 24, 1862. Wounded in right knee joint at Gettysburg, PA July 2, 1863. Discharged, on account of permanent disability, Jan 12, 1864. (Born in GA Dec 15, 1841.)

Phillips, S. A. -- Pvt - Jul 8, 1861. Wounded, date and place not given. Surrendered, Appomattox, VA Apr 9, 1865.

Wise, William R. -- 3rd Corporal - October 20, 1862. Wounded at Monocacy, Maryland July 9, 1864. Died of wounds July 11, 1864.

Jones, William Allen -- Pvt - September 3, 1861. Killed at Wilderness, Virginia May 5, 1864.

Andrews, William H. -- Pvt - Jul 8, 1861. On detail duty in Medical Dept. at Richmond, VA Feb 28, 1865.

Ward, Crumley R. C. -- Pvt - Mar 10, 1863. Wounded, date and place not given. Surrendered, Appomattox, VA Apr 9, 1865.

Found at Rootsweb World Connect:
Robert H Sledge
Birth: ABT 1842 in GA
Father: Captain Robert Hill Sledge
Birth: 20 Dec 1803 in Putnam Co, GA
Death: 18 Aug 1847 in Troup Co, GA
Sledge Cemetery, Oak Grove Road off US 27 South, Troup Co, GA
Note: Robert Hill Sledge was Captain of a Troup Co Militia Company raised for the defence of the county in the Creek Indian War of 1836.
His wife was the daughter of Colonel William E. Marcus and Sarah Floyd Bass.
Father: Shirley SLEDGE , Sr. b: 21 Mar 1777 in Halifax Co, NC
Mother: Mosley Montgomery HILL b: 15 Aug 1784 in SC
Marriage 1 Elizabeth Halinger MARCUS b: 26 Jun 1807 in Putnam Co, GA
Married: 11 Aug 1831 in Troup Co, GA

Troup County, Marriages - http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/troup/vitals/marriages/grmjp.txt
PHILLIPS, SEABRON
22-Nov 1866
HUNTON, ELIZABETH

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/troup/vitals/marriages/grmqz.txt
SLEDGE, R H
8-Mar 1866
RUTLEDGE, E C

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/troup/vitals/marriages/grmqz.txt
WILLS, WILLIAM D
27-Sep 1858
GLASSCOW, SARAH R

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/troup/vitals/marriages/grmgi.txt
GAFNEY, THOMAS
20-Feb 1860
BRANTLEY, MARY

Contributed by Suzy Martinez, Feb. 2004 - Her 2g-granddad, Thomas HODNETT