Do you have a photo of this soldier? Do you have a bio or obituary of your ancestor? If you send it to me at dnichols16@cox.net I'll post it here.
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Mitchell Gaines Rousey was born about 1828 in Elbert County, GA to Foster Rousey and Sarah "Sally" Dennard. He married Malinda Emily Bond on 4 December 1854 in Madison County, GA and they had two known children, both sons.
He enlisted in Co H., 38th GA "Goshen Blues" on 10 Sept 1862 as a PVT. He was wounded at Fredericksburg, VA on 13 December 1862, and was returied to service. However, he contracted typhoid fever and was in CSA General Hospital #3 at Lynchburg, VA, where he died on 23 October 1863. His body was sent to Lexington, GA by rail, and was picked up by his widow Emily in a wagon that she herself drove from the Stinchcomb community in Elbert County. She brought him home and he was buried in the Stinchcomb Methodist Church Cemetery.
Here is a letter that he wrote to her from the hospital shortly before his death. "Melvin" was the oldest son, probably about 8 years old at the time the letter was written. "Brother" was Henry Crawford Rousey, b. 17 Nov 1860. "Uncle James" was probably James G. Bond.
"Emily,
I may be writing more than you can (bear) but I thought I would tell you what ought to be. If it never does me no good I hope it will do you and the children some good. The chance is bad for me to get back home but if -- I hope I may live to get back home, and if I never meet you on this earth I want to meet you in Heaven. I want to live right if I can, though this is a bad place for that, but I do the best I can.
I want you to tell Father to pray for me. Tell (him) I often think of his poor white head, how it looked when I told him farewell at the gate. That is, I never forget when I think about how you and Melvin looked following me down the lane. I shed a many a tear about you and the children.
Emily, I want you to live right if you can and try and raise the children right. Tell Melvin he must take brother to meetings and be good boys. Tell Melvin I heard from his Uncle James yesterday. He had (been) sick at the hospital but he has got well and is with the company now.
Emily, your friend Pinky Mitchell was over to see me some time ago and he can laugh as big as ever. He sends his best respects to you.
I have wrote a heap more than I expected. I want you to go and see Papa and Mother and tell them howdy for me and tell them I want to see them mighty badly. Tell Melvin I want him (to) write all about his hogs and horse and goats and the stock, all of it.
I must close, so farewell for this time. Write right back and a heap (of love).
M.(itchell) G. Rousey
(The spelling has been modernized and the letter has been broken into paragraphs for greater ease in reading. No changes in grammar.) Letter used with permission of Susan Rousey Saxon.
NOTE: Emily did remarry in 1871 to Edwin Newton Kinnebrew, who had served in Humphries Brigade. He was shot at Chattanooga on the left side of his chest; the bullet missed his heart because it was over to the right; Kinnebrew's claim was that the force of the bullet had "knocked his heart out of the way." Emily and Kennebrew had no children together.
Biograph courtesy of Ms. Nancy Guest.