I came across this while looking at service records. It is always a treat to come across an original document among the index cards. It is an even better treat if the document contains a description of an ancestor. Further evidence that I am spending too much time with the war instead of preparing for finals.
To all whom it may concern.
The bearer hereof W. R. Meeks, a Corporal in Capt. N. L. McGinnis Company Moores Regt. Tex. Vol. Inft. Aged twenty two years, five feet, eleven inches high, fair complexion, grey eyes, light hair, & by profession a Stockraiser, Born in the state of MO. & enlisted at Galveston in the CSA on the 12th day of September 1861, to serve for the period of the war, Is hereby permitted to go to Blanco, Hays County, State of Texas; He having received a furlough from the 28th day of Jany to the 12th day of Feby 1862. at which period he will rejoin his Company or Regiment at Houston or wherever it then may be, or be Considered a Deserter.
Given under my hand at Houston this 24th day of Jany 1862.
N L McGinnis Capt
Camp 1061 2nd Regt Tex 5 Inft
[illegible]
(reverse)
Application for
Furlough of Corp
Wm R Meeks of Co. H
2 Tex Inf
Moores RegtJan 24, 1862
Approved
By order of
Brg Gen P O Hebert
Gen R Nelson
AAC(stamped) Rebel Archives, Record Division, War Department.
Original documents are really awesome to come across! My grandma has a family tree hand written by her grandmother. It was really cool to leaf through a book written by my great great grandmother.
I’ve been browsing your site and it has sparked my desire to get working on my family tree again.
It is a shame that most people don’t have the legacy that your gg-grandmother left you. I think everyone should think about leaving something…family history, scrapbooks, journals, handmade quilts, something that says “we were here”…behind for the future.
You go girl!