1914 ORIGINAL, CHARMING LETTER HAND WRITTEN BY A FORMER CONFEDERATE COLONEL WHO WOULD ONE DAY BE THE LAST MEMBER OF THE CONFEDERATE CONGRESS

On hand is a rare 2-page letter written by a Confederate Colonel long after the Civil War. Measuring 10 inches by 8 inches, this letter consists of 2 sheets, each written on one side only. The first page had a piece torn out of the upper right corner but it does not touch the written portion. Otherwise, the letter is in fine condition. The letter was written by John Martin, a resident of Ocala, FL. Research indicates that this was Colonel John Marshall Martin. Martin was born March 18th, 1832 in the old Beaufort district (Hampton County) in South Carolina, moved to Marion county in 1855, and passed away in 1921 at the age of 89. He served in the American Civil War. He was a member of the Confederate Congress, Captain of Martin's Light Artillery and served as Colonel of 9th Florida Regiment. Martin served under General Robert E. Lee and surrendered with Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. When he died, he was the last living member of the Confederate Congress. Following the war, Martin returned to Ocala where he lived out his life, respected by his community. Dated March 7th, 1914, he writes to an unnamed cousin in response to a letter he has received. Martin, who is 82, expresses pleasure on hearing about the good health of another cousin. He talks, almost wistfully, about the difficulties in staying in contact: "It gives me much pleasure to hear from my relatives, the [ ] old ones living, as well as the younger ones; but such is life, as we grow up, we scatter, see or hear of each other but seldom and thus pass over the river and forgotten"; "... what a pity loved ones can't abide with each other in this life". It is a lovely letter written with fondness and affection. For historians, this is a valuable piece of the written history of Florida. There are organizations in the United States which would see this letter as another small but important piece of the overall story of the American Civil War and its long-lingering aftermath.; Manuscript; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF; EARLY 20TH CENTURY; 19TH CENTURY; UNITED STATES; OCALA, FL; FLORIDA; MARION COUNTY; JOHN MARSHALL MARTIN; AMERICAN CIVIL WAR; 9TH FLORIDA REGIMENT; APPOMATTOX, VA; ROBERT E. LEE; CONFEDERATE CONGRESS; CIVIL WAR VETERANS; LETTER WRITING IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY; CORRESPONDENCE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY; CITADEL MILITARY COLLEGE ALUMNI; MARION LIGHT ARTILLERY; FLORIDA'S CIVIL WAR FIGHTING UNITS; FLORIDA HERITAGE; AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNALS, PERSONAL HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANOSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL