Dear Cousin I this morning am again permitted to write you a few lines though not knowing whether you will get it or not I have begin to think that I am gone up the flue. I have Stood a trial before the Damnedst Copperhead Court Martial you or anyone els ever seen and am Sentenced to Six Months imprisonment and the docking of my wages Sixty Dollars. When I was arreigned before the Court for trial the(y) would not allowe me to call the first witness and I of cores was then goin up the Spout for a while. I intended to have old Capt. Hargrove¹ and boath of my old officers but was tolde by the authorities that I would not be allowed any evidence in the Case. I then told them they could go to Hell wher they belonged and try the Case to soot them selves which they did. The Court desisision was that I should be imprisoned Six months and be docked sixty dollars of my pay and to be dishonorable discharged from the Service but my old Friend General Brown cut of the dishonorable discharge and at the end of Six Month returns me to duty to Co, If again but I can not see it that way. I never will do duty in that Co any more. I had rather be Shot. I will serve in any Loyal Regt but I will not serve in any Damd Rebbel Regt. I am a better Union Man than any officer in that Regt and I think I am non to much so. I have seen several sights since I last saw you. I am getting tiered of this Kind of a lif but expect to stay untill I can get out honorably. I consider myself as honorabley a man as lives if I have been tried by a General Court Martial of Damned Copperheads and Sentenced and I do not wish to boast of my bravery for I do not think that I merit any very great applause but still I think I would fight nearly as quick as the most of the officers of the 4th Regt. and I think just as much of myself + Country as any of them. I am proud that I have don the way I have. I am not ashamed of it before any man or any Set of men. All I asked for is justice but I do not consider that I have Justice. I think this cruel war will soon be over and all of the boys can come home. I am perfect willing that the boys that Know me will be allowed to deside the case or any Court of Justice but as it is I will have to be contented and let my Friend deside whether I am guilty or not in the future. Starn you say you have seen a greate many up and downs since you last saw me. I have no doubt of that but you have not seen the Elephant as I have although I am in a good a place as could be for a Prison and am treated well by the officers of the Prison but you know liberty goes a great ways with me and confinement this way does not agree with my health but have prety good health untill of late my mind being worn out by longe imprisonment has effected my system. I only way about 140 pounds now and what will I way at the expiration of the six months of which I judge I will have to stay but all will go as well as posiable. I cannot imagine what will become of Mother and Virginia². They have nothing to go apon and kneed not look for any assistance in that Copperhead Country for they all know my views on the subject and would not turn there finger over to assist any one that would be any advantage to me or any person of my Politics. I have this much to say to them that is Copperheads to go to Hell where the first Rebbels went. I have no cympathy for a Damned Rebbel if all my Family and Relations had of been Rebbels I would say the same. I have not herd from mother for a long time. I can not tell the reason. The last news I herd Virginia was very sick. Whether she ever recovered is more than I can tell. I sometimes think that it would be a gratification to me if I had of died years ago and not of been pulld and knocked about by desining men to gratify there Political hatred but yet I am still here to deville them as I can and I guess I will still stay with them and see the whole thing out. I wanted to enlist in the Veteran Service³ but that would not take to soot them. Some of the Militia would loose there shoulder straps if the men joind the Veteran Service and you know if they admitted one to go they could not refuse the rest so that's the way the money goes Pop goes the wesel. Starn I want you to write to me soon and let me know all that is going on in Southwest. Tell my Girl that I am not married nor never expect to be untill I come back to Southwest Mo. I would like to be there now. I think I could see an old time for a few days, if ever I get out of this I am a coming home to Southwest Missouri to spend the balance of my days. Damn Illinois and her Copperhead crue. Take good care of yourself and tell all the Ballance of the connection to do the same and tell them to write for god sake for nothing in the world would give me more pleasure than to get letters from my Friends. I hope this find you enjoying the best of health and every other blessing necessary to the comforts of life. Give my best respect to all enquiring Friends and tell them all to write. if you ever see Sarah and Amy H. give them my best wishes and tell Sarah to write to me. I have one or to letters to her and have not gote any answer as yet. Kiss S U for me and tell here I will be there soon if I get out of this. So no more but remain your affectionate Cousin untill Death +c.

    yours truly +c John S. Poindexter

    Direct to Myrtle St. Military Prison St. Louis, Mo

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¹  Hargrove; John's commander in old Co. C 14th MSM
²  Virginia; John's teenaged sister. Their father had died in the winter of 62-63, leaving no man at home to look after her and their widowed mother. John was furloughed to Illinois the month before his desertion, apparently moving his small family out of the war-torn Missouri, as later prison letters mention his mother staying with relatives in Virden, IL.
³  Veteran Service: Oddly enough, the arresting officer who caught John is given as "Enlistment Agent" in White Hall, Illinois. Was John perhaps attempting to join another regiment?