The timeless themes of love and war are revealed with startling intimacy in this collection of personal letters written during the turbulent years of the American Civil War.

The letters present a snapshot of the lives of Major J.N. Coleman of the Third Texas Cavalry and his fiancée, Virginia E. "Jennie" Adkins. John's letters from the field provide readers with a unique insight into the horrors, excitement, and day-to-day monotony of a soldier's life in the Confederate army, while Jennie's letters detail life on the home front in Marshall, Texas.

The letters also reveal the stresses of conducting a long-distance relationship during a time of great societal upheaval. Jealousy, loneliness, romantic intrigue, parental disapproval, and plans for a secret elopement are revealed as the two young Texans attempt to maintain their love affair amidst the great War Between the States.

Also included in the collection are letters from John's brother Tom, Jennie's brother George, Jr., and a receipt for the funeral expenses associated with John's death in 1881.

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Additional Information

The Guthrie Civil War Letters collection is intended to provide a first-hand perspective on the Civil War from the viewpoint of an East Texas Confederate Major and his fiancée. While the letters are an interesting resource in their own right, discovering more about the background of John and Jennie Coleman, the Third Texas Cavalry, and the city of Marshall, Texas provide the appropriate context for the letters, thus making them a richer resource for researchers and Civil War aficionados alike.

John and Jennie’s Story
This section contains background information on Maj. John N. Coleman and his wife Virginia Eliza “Jennie” Adkins Coleman.

The Third Texas Cavalry
This section provides a brief overview of the Third Texas Cavalry (also known as “Ross’ Brigade”) and their activities during the Civil War.

Marshall, Texas
This section provides a brief overview of the role the Colemans’ hometown of Marshall, Texas played during the Civil War.

Interactive Map
This section contains an interactive map showing the locations of Third Texas Cavalry engagements and John Coleman’s letter-writing sites.

Interactive Timeline
This section contains an interactive timeline of letters written by John Coleman and Jennie Adkins.

Letter Transcriptions
PDF containing complete transcriptions of the Guthrie Civil War Letters Collection, in chronological order -- document contains original editing marks made by letter authors, including strikethroughs and underlining -- [71 pages]

This collection was made possible by the generous assistance of Douglas Guthrie, D.P.M., of Mexia,Texas.