| Summary: | From June 1862 to November 1863, Bolling Hall, Jr., was lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Battalion, Hilliard's Legion. In the letter he discusses his duties in camp ("You seem to have all been under the impression that I have had command of the Legion but I have not - nor would I desire it. My Batt has no Field Off but myself & if I leave it for 12 hrs. everything goes wrong"); efforts he will make to get his younger brother a position ("If Tom comes at all no hint whatever must escape that he expects anything to be done for him...If I did not know him fully competent I should never do the least thing to get him into position"); a recent retreat during battle; and General Bragg's reputation among the soldiers. He also mentions recent negative reports issued by the Montgomery Advertiser, arguing that the paper is biased and inaccurate: "I do not believe the army so badly demoralized as the Advertizer would have us think. The Advertizer acts very badly in this matter & is losing ground very fast. Every one says that it is persecuting Bragg merely because the Editor hates him & that the Editor would willingly see a disaster, to ruin Bragg. It is also said that Shorter went into Braggs [sic] army once as a correspondent & was ordered off immediately together with all other correspondents which is the cause of his hatred to the General." In a postscript he discusses his father's possible bid for local political office, and he informs his father of a "secret society in Coosa County which is traitorous in its designs": "They were hostile to 'Lincoln & the abolitionists but desired to restore to Union as it was under Jefferson' The conclusion I drew was that it was originated by politicians of Coosa & Talladega for electioneering purposes." A transcription is included.
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