Dear Group, As many of you know, I am struggling to keep my sanity over my forthcoming major surgery--now rescheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 15. But tonight I dug up enough mental strength to try to put together the September issue of the Town of Porter Historical Society Newsletter, "Porter's Past." Hey, after all, I'm the Editor of it! And what I managed to do this evening was to transcribe two letters written during the Civil War and I wanted to try it out on our group. It's still in the draft stage but this is the way I picture it: What do you think? vee In the news of our past, we have a letter that was written on September 1, 1864, by Peter S. Tower to his sister, Olive Almena Tower while Peter was serving in the Civil War. In addition, we have a desparate letter written by Abram Howe McCollum that was written on June 16, 1865. Referring to Peter's letter, he mentions the casualties, the prisoners and the wounded --individual members of Co. F, 8th Regiment, NY Heavy Artillery, as a result of the fight at Reams Station on the Weldon Railroad on August 24 and 25. In addition, he mentions his meeting up with his friend Madison McCollum the evening before. Madison was on his long way home after losing his right arm in the Battle of Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864. And in the number of names of the prisoners who had been captured in the Battle of Reams Station was M. C. McCollum. That was Madison's younger brother, Melville. Melville eventually ended up in Salisbury Prison, was eventually released but died of starvation or disease before he could make his way back home. He was only 18 years old. Therefore, the letter that was written by Melville's father the following year. Peter also mentioned Edward Perry as being taken prisoner. Dear Ed died in Salisbury Prison from what we have learned.. But then Peter also made reference to Lew. The Lew he was referring to was the young man that Peter's sister Olive Tower eventually married in 1869, Lewis Cass Hosmer, Sr. Peter returned from the war and so did Lew--and so did Madison McCollum. Melville and Ed didn't make it and a whole bunch of others didn't return to the Town of Porter. But then what do I know? I have only two letters at hand and a bit of research I've done over the years! The letters follow in the next two messages.