1st Sergeant/Private John S. Poindexter, Company "C"
Letter From Myrtle Street Prison
November 30, 1864


     This was written by Pvt. John S. Poindexter of the 14th and 4th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, while incarcerated at Myrtle Street Prison, St. Louis MO on a charge of desertion. Although he had thought his sentence was six months from the date of his April court martial, he is now resigned to serving an additional three months, due to an apparent mishandling of his paperwork.
     The addressee, P.F. Clark, is John's cousin Peter Franklin "Frank" Clark. P.F. is son of Christopher H. Clark, who is John's mother's brother. P.F.'s memiors reveal he took a disability discharge from his own service in the 11th Missouri Cavalry at St. Louis in September, where he undoubtedly visited John in prison.
     John's spelling and capitalization are unchanged, although a few periods have been added at the ends of sentences, where he seems to have left them off.
Gloria Atwater

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Myrtle Street Prison
St. Louis MO    Nove 30th 1864
P.F. Clark

     Dear Cousin I this Evening received your verry kind letter Dated Nove the 20th which was read with greatest Satisfaction. I was truly glad to hear from you and hear that you and Family was all well and also thank you all for your kind Sympathy for me in my troubled Situation + Condition. I am proud to think I still have some friend in Southwest and maybe to again be permitted to visit you all ("again" crossed out). I was glad to hear that the Union cause was so strong in that part of the state. Every thing Political is going on to suit me now in Mo. all though I had no voice in it myself but this United States has my best wishes whether I vote or not.
     Frank let me know what part of Kansas uncle1 is going to also what he got for his farm + who he sold to. I am anxious to get out to come + see him and all of the folks before he leaves. My term of imprisonment will expire the 20th of January and then I will be sure to come + see you all. Tell Starn2 to write. I wrote to him twice since I saw you. I have been quite uneasy since you left about uncle + Starn. Frank be sure + write soon an often and excuse this badly written scroll for I have been verry sick for about two weeks with the fevor and my nerves is so affected I can hardly write at all. Prison rules forbids my writing much more. Mother is well or was the other day. She is living as uncle John Bronaugh3 in Virden Macoupin County Illinois. Frank you + Jane boath write to her it would be so much consolation to her. Frank my tounge is very loose but my penmanship is verry bad. I could talk with more sence than I can write but I have but little sence now at best. Give my love to all enquiring Frinds and espetially to Jane + your family and you also write soon and often. So no more but remain your cousin untill Death
         John S. Poindexter
P.F. Clark

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1P.F.'s father, Christopher H. Clark, who moved to Bourbon Co. KS to escape guerilla depredations.
2Another cousin, P.F.'s younger brother, David Starn Clark, who would also move to KS.
3John's sister Virginia had died in mid-October, and his widowed mother now lived with his father's sister and her husband.

Transcribed By:   Gloria Atwater

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