#1: 6 x 7 1/2, in ink, written by J.T. Eubank.

Febry. 17th/64, Military Prison, Rock Island, Ill., Hospital Ward 8

Dear Cousin,

I have a young Alabama friend here (Dr. Mims) who has charge of Hospital Ward 8 attending to our sick. He is very much in need of clothing, is very far from home & friends, consequently I thought I would ask of you to send him a few articles. I would not ask the kindness of you, but for my Father’s having contributed so much already & knowing you were much more able to meet the demands. Dr. Mims is quite a small man, wears pants size 31 in., shoes or boots no. 4, socks 9, hat 6 5/8, coat 2. My wound has been rather painful lately, the Dr. extracted several fragments of bone from the wound. My health is good otherwise. I received a letter from Aunt A.M. Sunley this morning. Hoping you will not think asking too much,

I remain very truly,
Your cousin,
J.T. Eubank, Jr.

Light age toning and wear. Neatly written letter.

J.T. Eubank was a 21 year old farmer from Harrison, Ky., with dark hair and eyes, and he stood 5 feet, 8 inches tall. He enlisted in the Confederate army for 3 years in Boone County, Ky., on July 22, 1862, and was mustered into Co. B, Jessee’s Battalion of Kentucky Mounted Rifles, with rank of corporal. A week later, on July 29th, he was captured in a skirmish at Mt. Sterling, Ky.

#2: 7 3/4 x 8 3/4, in ink, written by A.D. Mims.

March 1, 1864, Prison Hospital, Ward 8

Mrs. Taylor,

I have indeed been surprised and completely over powered by your kindness. I hardly know how to begin to award my thanks. The clothing all fit most admirably. The shoes & hat fit precisely. I feel very much elated with the idea of having such a good hat. It will last a long time. Please accept my most sincere thanks for the kindness. Mr. Eubanks & myself are very intimate friends & I suppose I am somewhat indebted to him for his intercession in my behalf. At any rate, I shall repay the kindness in some way & if Mr. Eubanks is exchanged with me he shall be well cared for and your name Mrs. Taylor will ever be first in my memory & long remembered by my Alabama home. Believe me sincerely indebted.

A.D. Mims

Light age toning and wear. Neatly written letter.

A.D. Mims was a native of Alabama, and he appears in the Federal Census of July 1860 as a resident of Mobile, Ala., and working as an apothecary, and no doubt studied medicine. He is listed on Confederate Muster Rolls as a Hospital Steward. He was caring for sick and wounded at Rock Island Prison in the winter of 1864 as is discussed in the February 17, 1864 letter from his friend and fellow prisoner, J.T. Eubank.

Susan L. Taylor, the recipient of these letters, was a Southern lady who operated a benevolent society out of Newport, Kentucky, that supplied aid and comfort to Confederate prisoners of war who were confined in Yankee prisons. She was the daughter of William T. Barry, who served as a U.S. Congressman, was the U.S. Postmaster General under President Andrew Jackson, and who also was a U.S. Senator and Governor of Kentucky.

Rock Island Prison was located on an island in the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. It contained 84 prison barracks, and like most Civil War prison camps the facilities were very spartan.

Very fine pair of related Confederate prisoner of war letters; one by an Alabamian, the other by a Kentuckian. These two men who came from very different backgrounds were brought together in friendship as they suffered through the hardships of war in a Yankee prison!