Civil War era letter and Confederate officer carte de vistes, 5 items total. 1st item: Civil war era letter with envelope from William F. Thurman, 53rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, Confederate States Army, addressed to his wife Margaret R. Thurman, Lynnville, Giles County, Tennessee. Letter from Port Hudson, Louisiana dated Feb the 27th, 1863 reads "Dear wife and children, it is with pleasure that I seat myself to drop you a few line to let you know that I am well and have better health thein [sic] I have since I have been out…Everything is a high price our men freed a kind of a gun boat out of a transport they…with cotton to go up the River to capture lane none dead yankee gunboat wich [sic] the[y] have succeeded in doing the one that left hear [sic] and one we got from the[m] a week or too [sic] ago named queen of the west and another boat captured the yankee Iron clad we have the Iron clad in our possession at this time sunk in a boat & [a] foot [of] water. Jim Polk is sick and has gone to the hospital the Doctors say that he has the fever Nat has got the yellow ganders [possibly yellow jaundice]". The letter also includes Thurman's instructions to his wife regarding the upkeep of the family crops and livestock stating "I think I will be at home by the time Crops is Made…". The letter also contains a shorter message from Thurman, Port Hudson, dated February 28th 11/63 in which he states "I still have the the [sic] ganders I don't know as I am any Better than I was when I wrote you last I am better of the gander but I am so weak…" and later refers to a letter that he received from Dick Weatherford informing him that Joe Perry had died. He ends the letter with the sentiment "your devoted Husband Till Death W. F. Thurman to M. C. Thurman". Envelope includes "PORT HUDSON LA" and "PAID" postmark stamps, with Thurman's name and regiment number. Folded letter – 8 1/8" H x 5 1/2" W. Unfolded letter – 10 7/8" W. Envelope – 3 1/8" H x 5 1/2" W. 2nd-5th items: Four (4) Civil War era carte de vistes (CDVs) depicting officers of the Confederate States Army, including Major-General Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Cheatham, General Albert Sidney Johnston, General Braxton Bragg, and Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner. Johnston, Bragg, and Buckner CDVs published by E & H. T. Anthony, New York, Cheatham CDV taken by Theodore Gubelman (American/Swiss, 1844-1926), Pulaski, TN. Maker's marks and names of officers en verso. CDVs approximately 4" H x 2 1/2" W. All items mid/late 19th century. CONDITION: 1st item: Letter and envelope with overall toning, Minor wear to center fold line of letter, losses and tears to envelope edges. 2nd-5th items: General wear and chipping to edges of CDVs with overall toning. All with pencil inscriptions en verso.