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The following letter from a 23rd Alabama Infantry soldier
was graciously contributed by Debbie DuBose.

The envelope is marked "Col. Beck's Regiment, Capt. A. Yates Company, W.J. DuBose, Private", is postmarked Nov 20, 1861, Mobile, Ala and is addressed to Mr. H. DuBose, Red Creek, Ala. Cpt Yates commanded Company G, which was from Choctaw County, Alabama.

The letter was written on very thin blue paper and the envelope is the same paper folded to enclose the letter.

The hand writing is clear and strong and is indicative of a person of some education. However, the spelling, punctuation and capitalization as with many Alabamians of this period, is rather unique.

                            Ten miles South of Mobile Nov the 18th, 1861[1]

Dear Pa,

I Seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and all so doc hoping that when you receive this that it may find you and all the family well I have met up with a heep of my Old acquaintances Since I have been down here I saw John DuBose that lived with grand Pa in 1858. I met up with Preacher Brandon and herd a very able prayer from him on yesterday Doc met up with Some of his connection his Uncle & Cosin that was in Fort Gains and thier Britalion mooved over to where we are in camped thier is about 3000 men whire we are and the woods is Strode with them all around us in every diriction Preacher Brandon belongs to a company from Cherokee County thier is four or five of the boys sick but not dangerous mostly coulds [colds] that ail them I havent ben sick none of account since you left us at Montgomery Pa if you Come down to see us I want you to fetch my Trunk to put my Clothes in as it would be much better than packing them up any sortes fashion as fer news we donot here any at all So I must Close by sending my love and respects to all my Connection. I remain yours and affectionate Son,

W.J. DuBose

Pvt William Joel DuBose received a head wound on November 28, 1864 and departed this life December 10, 1864.
[Updated 09 Jan 2008, courtesy of Mr. Tim Burgess (http://history-sites.com/mb/cw/alcwmb/index.cgi?noframes;read=27753]
Pvt. Dubose died at a temporary Confederate Hospital at St. John's Churchyard (Ashwood), Columbia, Tennessee. He was buried in the Church cemetery with a small stone marker. (The same church cemetery where Gen. Cleburne and others were later buried after their deaths at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.

Footnote: The date of the letter and its postmark have caused me to reconsider the Regiment's location on Nov 18, 1861. Official Confederate records indicate the Regiment was mustered into Confederate service on Nov 16, 1861 at Camp Wilcox near Montgomery, Ala. However, Company G, 23rd Ala, with PVT DuBose, clearly was at Mobile, Ala on Nov 18, 1861.

23rd Alabama Infantry Acknowledgements|Searching for Civil War Ancestors|Campaigns and Battles of the 23rd Alabama Infantry|23rd Alabama Infantry Bibliography|Letter by Pvt W.J. DuBose of the 23rd Ala Inf|23rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment, CSA|23rd Alabama Infantry Links|Official Records of the Rebellion -- 23rd Ala Inf Regt.|23rd Alabama Infantry Organization|23rd Ala Inf -- OR-Part One|23rd Ala Inf -- OR-Part Two|23rd Ala Inf -- OR-Part Three|23rd Alabama Infantry Regimental History, Part 1.|23rd Alabama Infantry Regimental History, Part 2.|Resaca C.S.A. Cemetary Project|23rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry (CSA) Roster