A letter from from the spiddyskids.com website at:
http://www.spiddyskids.com/getperson.php?personID=I1859&tree=en...
(thanks again to William Painter Jr. for passing along this link)
"Grandfather Hudson fought in an Ind. Regiment (He was a Teamster), drove 4 mules for comisary all through Civil War. Died 1887 - 60 years of agewas 6 ft. 6 in. high wore 14 shoe, lankey and strong, liked to playcards, worked hard. Lottie has a letter he wrote home in Nov. 1863 just before battle of Look-out Mountain. Grandma saved it."
- Wm. T. "Uncle Bill" Painter
Transcript of letter written by George Hudson during Civil War to his wife (original said to have been in possession of Charlotte Painter Stollard.)
Bridgeport, Ala. in 12 mi. of Chattanooga. In sight of Lookout Mt. The Rebs hold one half of this mtn. Rosecrans on one side and Bragg theother.
Dear Wife - the last time that I wrote to you was at Florence in this State. We have been on a long fatiguing march, over the Cumberland Mtns.and the Smoky Mtns. in Tenn. Chattanooga is in Ga. They have hard times marching this last month carrying our knapsacks and we have been on half rations. We have marched over 1000 miles in the last 6 wks. but I won't complain just so I live. We are going to march tomorrow. Our Brigade goes in first tomorrow. We have got to a place where it is death or victory. We stopped here last night (Sunday night) to rest a little and turned over our tents and wagons and horses and everything that is heavy so we can get along better. Everything is in such a hurry today.
You must not think it strange if I don't write much - I just now got a letter from you that had the print of Sampeys and Rosies and Wills hands. They looked pretty to me. I also got a letter from Mother at the same time that said she was 70 years old on the 12th of last Sept. I will not have time to answer her letter, you can tell her. Your letter did not say anything about the twenty dollars that I sent you by Mr. Hill of Raysville, Ind.
Well, Nellie, you told me about your dream. Dreams are very pleasant tome at times. I can say that I am well and thankful to God for it. I want you to be in good heart till I come home. There is no chance for furloughs till after this Lookout Mtn. battle. Make yourselves as comfortable as you can. You know that I have got myself in a fix that I can't come to your relief when I please. (Look on the other sheet.) You know that three yrs. won't last always. I don't think the war will end enyway soon the way things is going on. I want you to stay where you are, let what will come. Everthing will work out right after while.
I have two nice rings for you that cost three dollars apiece. I wear them on each little finger. They are set with silver and pearl sets. I am afraid to risk sending them in a letter for fear you don't get them.
Now I must tell you how I look. I have not shaved for one year. The hair on my upper lip is as long as a goats. I know the children would not know me if I was to come home this way.
[Last part of letter lost.]
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From Binford, J.H., History of Hancock County, Indiana, Greenfield, IN: King and Binford, 1882, page 123, Buck-Creek Township, Murder -- Here occurred the Kennedy tragedy, in which Thomas Kennedy killed his own daughter, the wife of George Hudson, for which he was sentenced to the penetentiary for life; but was in the course of a few years, through the intercession of his attorney, T.D. Walpole, pardoned after which he returned to his own neighborhood, where he remained till his death, which occurred only a few years since. Sarah Kennedy and George Hudson had one son, James Riley, who was about 15 months old at the time of the murder.
