1st-3rd items: Civil War era ALS. One page letter from Union soldier Private Oscar F. Spelman, 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company G, written as a Prisoner of War at Camp Sumpter, commonly known as Andersonville, located near Andersonville, Georgia, dated May 2, 1864. Written shortly after Spelman's capture during the Battle of Plymouth (fought from April 17-20, 1864, in Washington County, North Carolina), the majority of the letter provides an unusually favorable view of the infamous prison and of his treatment by the Confederates, stating "…My poor wife & children — Those who were captured at Plymouth N.C. arrived here last night — My health continues first rate except some dioreoh[sic] — cause by change of water & food — I think this is a fine healthy place There are deaths nearly every hour but they occur among those who are worn out with service in field We were treated very kindly by those who had us in charge — all the way to this place — We rested often on the march & were allowed to get water often — We have seven acres enclosed by a stockade with a small stream through it — We are allowed to go within 10 ft of the stockade — if one ventures beyond this line he is shot — but the men know the rules — I commend you to God but little hope of seeing you again — I think the blame lies all together with our government — The enemy are willing to exchange — but old [Major General Benjamin Franklin] Butler stands in the way — I wish I could have a box from friends — Write nothing but family affairs & direct 38th detachment Mass 3d Oscar F. Spelman" with an additional postscript reading "Send some stamps — no money." Handwritten testimony by H. B. Stevens, Justice of the Peace, Hampden, MA, stating that on "…November 1st 1864 There personally appeared before me Mrs Serepta Spelman, wife of the within named Oscar F. Spelman and made the oath that the within is the letter of husband, the said Oscar F. Spelman who is now a prisoner of War, and that the same was received on or about the 1st day of July AD 1864, and I certify that I have no interest in the claim…" en verso. Includes two (2) typed transcriptions: one (1) of Spelman's letter and one (1) of H. B. Stevens' testimony. Letter: 8" H x 5 1/8" W. 4th item: Paymaster U.S. Army Form No. 5 pay statement issued to Mrs. Serepta Spelman, on behalf of her husband Oscar F. Spelman, Prisoner of War, for the amount of one hundred and twenty-seven dollars and twenty-six cents, for pay from December 4, 1863 to August 31, 1864, by Major Samuel Cloke Harbert, dated February 20, 1865. Includes a notation indicating that sufficient evidence has been provided that Serepta is the wife of Spelman and that she is his closest living relation, dated January 26, 1865, and an additional notation indicating that Mrs. Spelman did receive the payment, dated February 20, 1865, en verso. Form: 10 1/4" H x 8 1/4" W. Note: While the Dix-Hill Cartel was established on July 22, 1862 as the first official system for exchanging prisioners during the Civil War, the system began to break down due to the unwillingness of the Confederate forces to agree to treat black prisoners the same as white prisoners. In addition, Confederate President Jefferson Davis suspended the parole of Union officers following the execution of William Mumford, a New Orleans citizen, by Union General Benjamin F. Butler (1818-1893) while he was military governor of the city, in December 1862. In reaction, Union Secretary Stanton ordered a halt to all exchanges of commissioned officers. The Dix-Hill Cartel was suspended on July 30, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued General Orders 252. In November 1863, Union General Benjamin Butler requested permission from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to negotiate for the resumption of the prisoner exchanges. His attempts were successful, specifically for "sick and invalid officers and men…unfit for duty and likely to remain so for sixty days" and General Grant permitted the resumption of exchanges when the Confederate authorities agreed to include all prisoners in January 1865.

PROVENANCE: By descent from the estate of Stanley Horn, Nashville, Tennessee.

CONDITION: 1st-3rd items: Overall good, legible condition with light toning, fold lines, very minor areas of tears and areas loss, largest 1/2", to edges of sheet. Transcriptions with toning, general handling wear, later pencil inscriptions. 4th item: Light toning, areas of loss, largest 3 1/2" x 1 1/2", some tears to fold lines, few scattered minute foxing spots, general handling wear.