One amazing artifact in my possession is a letter dated 28 December 1862 written by Letha Anne “Annie” Ballard Hopkins to her husband Mandaville “Mandy” Jackson Hopkins. Annie and Mandy are my 3rd great-grandparents.
Annie married Mandy on 06 March 1856 and lived in Boone County, Virginia. Mandy enlisted in the Confederate Army on 17 August 1862 and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. At the time of this letter Annie and their three children were still in Boone County.
This is a low-resolution PDF of the entire letter; a full transcription will be added soon.