This letter has come to me for transcription attributed to Lt. Thomas B. Weston of Co. K, 10th Georgia Infantry. The author provides no signature, only initials that appears to be “W. B. T.” Furthermore, there seems to be no historical reference indicating that the 10th Georgia Infantry was responsible for manning the battery at Pig’s Point, which remained under Confederate control until the abandonment of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, at the outset of the Peninsula Campaign on March 9, 1862. From my research, this duty was actually assigned to the Portsmouth Rifles, an infantry company that served as gunners. The company, which later became integrated into the 3rd Virginia Infantry Regiment, was deployed to Pig Point prior to July 1861 to construct a defensive battery and receive artillery training. Subsequently, they were incorporated into the 9th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, and participated in several significant battles, including Seven Pines and Gettysburg.
The letter’s contents indicate that the individual in question served as an officer and likely had a member in his company by the name of Martin Grady. Regrettably, I am unable to locate any records for a Martin Grady. There appear to be very few Confederate soldiers by that name. I shall refrain from speculating on the identity of the author at this moment. Perhaps a more dedicated reader will invest the necessary time to establish his identity.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N…