Notification Of Confederate Death With Money

I was just looking through my husband's grandfather's collection and found this cover. I am very interested in the Civil War, as I had family members on opposite sides fighting each other at Petersburg.

These are the notes from my husband's grandfather "This letter is from Capt. H W Henry, Commanding K Co. 22nd Ala. Regiment C. S. of A. It is addressed to Laban Underwood, father of one Mathew Underwood, who died in action. The final statements are included and properly witnessed. The amount due the heirs was $124.33, and full instructions were included on how recovery of this amount could be made. In all probability these instructions were carried out as there is $125.00, Confederate money attached to the cover."

Looking at the enclosed material, it seems as if Capt. H W Henry knew Mr. Laban Underwood personally, as he mentions another of his sons in his letter. Too bad the letter was sent with postage due to the family. The paper the longer letter was written on has a watermark reading E Towgood 1862.

WOW! Thank you so much for sharing. Welcome!

Great history stuff, love it. The Civil War was such a life waster. So much more that any other war or conflict our country has known. Great to see some history from that era. Thanks! - Jeff

I am a CSA collector and I think that is just awesome.

That is just amazing. What a great piece of postal and family history. Thanks so much for showing it to us.
I'm left wondering just how they came to the amount compensated for a life lost.

Quite a time capsule. I too collect CSA and I find the era fascinating, even though I'm north of the border,

@Western1688, It looks like the compensation was based on past service, bounty and commutative pay. This is what is written in the long letter "now entitled to a discharge by reason of Death, which occured at Murfreesboro Tenn. Dec. 2nd, 1862. The said Mathew Underwood was last paid by Captian R. L. Hill a.2.M.22nd Ala Regt. to include June the 30th 1862. There's due to him fifty-five and 72/100 dollars wages. And fifty dollars Bounty. And is due to him commutative from the 8th of October 1862 to the 2nd day of December 1862. He is indebtive to the Confederate States nothing." It then shows a breakdown again of these sums with a note that his pay was eleven dollars a month. Hope this helps.

What a fabulous thing to find! I'm just blown away with all this! Wonderful piece of Civil War history and C.S.A. to boot! Not much C.S.A. stuff around either. Great find, but you knew that I'm guessing.