Exploring the Foster family archives at UNA, Part 3

By Torey Badar
MSNHA graduate student

Note: This is the third in a series of blog posts about the “Sallie Independence Foster Collection, 1835-1889,” at the University of North Alabama Archives & Special Collections, part of Collier Library. Torey Badar is a public-history graduate student at UNA. Information in this post comes from the UNA Archives.

Another Civil War letter written by Watkins “Wat” Foster, one George Washington Foster’s sons who fought in the Civil War, was dated July 16, 1861. This letter was addressed to Wat’s sister Virginia, who was nicknamed “Jenny.” The letter also came from Camp Johnson. In it, Wat explained that the Confederate troops did not have much free time. He said that they had about 15,000 troops and would have 5,000 more in a few days. The Union troops consisted of 25,000 men and were about s16 miles away. General Joseph E. Johnston ordered the Confederate troops to make no attack yet. However, the Confederate soldiers were prepared. Wat explained that they had cannons from every hilltop and men with knives at almost every bush. They also built ditches to protect themselves from the enemy. Wat wrote that he did not think a battle would happen at this place any time soon. He closed the letter by sending love to all of his family members and told them to write often.