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Colonel W.S. Hawkins of the Confederate Army, and a prisoner of war at Camp Chase in 1864, wrote this poem. A near friend and fellow prisoner was engaged to be married to a young lady in the South, who proved faithless to him, and had written him a letter which arrived soon after his death. The letter was opened and answered by Col. Hawkins in the following lines:

HER LETTER CAME TOO LATE

Your letter, lady, came too late,
For Heaven had claimed its own.
Ah, sudden change! From prison bars
Unto the Great White Throne!
And yet, I think he would have stayed
To live for his disdain,
Could he have read the careless words
Which you have sent in vain.

So full of patience did he wait
Through many a weary hour,
That o’er his simple soldier faith
Not even death had power.
And you — did others whisper low
Their homage in your ear,
As though among their shadowy throng
His spirit had a peer.

I would that you were by me now,
To draw the sheet aside,
And see how pure the look he wore
The moment when he died.
The sorrow that you gave him
Had left its weary trace,
As ’twere the shadow of the cross
Upon his pallid face.

“Her love,” he said, “could change for me
The winter’s cold to spring.”
Ah, trust of fickle maiden’s love,
Thou art a bitter thing!
For when these valleys bright in May
Once more with blossoms wave,
The northern violets shall blow
Above his humble grave.

Your dole of scanty words had been
But one more pang to bear,
For him who kissed unto the last
Your tress of golden hair.
I did not put it where he said,
For when the angels come
I would not have them find the sign
Of falsehood in the tomb.

I’ve seen your letter and I know
The wiles that you have wrought
To win that noble heart of his,
And gained it — cruel thought!
What lavish wealth men sometimes give
For what is worthless all:
What manly bosoms beat for them
In folly’s falsest thrall.

You shall not pity him, for now
His sorrow has an end,
Yet would that you could stand with me
Beside my fallen friend.
And I forgive you for his sake
As he — if it be given –
May even be pleading grace for you
Before the court of heaven.

Tonight the cold wind whistles by
As I my vigil keep
Within the prison dead house, where
Few mourners come to weep.
A rude plank coffin holds his form,
Yet death exalts his face
And I would rather see him thus
Than clasped in your embrace.

Tonight your home may shine with lights
And ring with merry song,
And you be smiling as if your soul
Had done no deadly wrong.
Your hand so fair that none would think
It penned these words of pain;
Your skin so white — would God your heart
Were half as free from stain.

I’d rather be my comrade dead,
Than you in life supreme:
For yours the sinner’s waking dread,
And his the martyr’s dream.
Whom serve we in this life, we serve
In that which is to come:
He chose his way, you yours; let God
Pronounce the fitting doom.

CHAPEL HILL,  March [9], 1863–10 p.m.
Lieut. Gen. LEONIDAS POLK,
Headquarters Shelbyville, Tenn.:

GENERAL: I send you all the information I have obtained since my last, at 4 o’clock. When my scouts left College Grove, at 4 p.m., they saw the enemy’s pickets standing on the hill at Dr. Webb’s place, south side of Harpeth Creek. When I left the vicinity of Eagleville this evening, two of my guides promised to remain in the vicinity all night, but they came in at 7 o’clock, and stated that the enemy were in Eagleville one hour after we left; but as they did not see them, I don’t consider it reliable. I have a reliable scout in the vicinity of the enemy, who have not yet returned.

I wish to make this explanation: I was ordered by General Bragg to report to you, and by you to report to General Wheeler. Afterward General Wheeler ordered me to report to Colonel Hagan, and by Colonel [J.] Hagan to keep up constant communication with Colonel Russell, at Unionville, of everything in my vicinity. I understood from that order that Colonel Russell would keep him advised, and that it was unnecessary for me to make any other report. I hope the above explanation will be satisfactory. Not having been instructed to report to you, I thought it might be a breach of etiquette to report otherwise than through my brigade commander. I would like very much to know what is considered to be [the duty] of an officer occupying my position [in front]. I have heretofore, for want of a knowledge of the [country], been unable to ascertain the object or strength [illegible (+)] of the enemy, except by skirmishing with and fighting [illegible(+) ], which I have done every chance, but so far [illegible (+)] no party of theirs I could cope with, and have to give back. Yet I am fully satisfied. We have punished them much worse than they have us, notwithstanding Colonel [J. M.] Warren ran into a party at College Grove and lost some thirty-odd of his men. (It was done by my order.)

I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
P. D. RODDEY,
Colonel, Commanding

O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME XXIII/2 [S# 35]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Kentucky, Middle And East Tennessee, North Alabama, And Southwest Virginia, From January 21 To August 10, 1863.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE. ETC.–#3
Page 676

CHAPEL HILL, March 9, 1863.
General LEONIDAS POLK,
Headquarters Shelbyville, Tenn.:

GENERAL: The only item of news since my last, at 10 this a.m., is contained in inclosed note(*) from my picket outpost at Riggs’ cross-roads; it is corroborated by some citizens coming in since. Maj. [W. A.] Johnson, of my regiment, has gone out to investigate the matter, and engage the enemy if they advance on us. I send this via Unionville, that Colonel [A. A.] Russell may know all that I do of the enemy’s movements.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. D. RODDEY,
Colonel.

O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME XXIII/2 [S# 35]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Kentucky, Middle And East Tennessee, North Alabama, And Southwest Virginia, From January 21 To August 10, 1863.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE. ETC.–#3
Page  675

Camp Dennison Ohio March 9th
Three o’clock in the morning, in the Hospital

One of those Ladies, that waited on the table at the “Chase House” last fourth of July in mecca is here as Hospital cook. She is married to a man by the name of White. She is a clever woman & a great talker. She gave me two “Slap Jacks” to day all buttered up in style, but they soon went out of sight. [The following words in italics were written in Fell's blood] O yes, I must have the nose bleed the next thing. it makes me feel like swearing but I guess I can stand it. I wish I could write a letter with the heart’s blood of a Secheshionist. I would give up all my hope of heaven if I could only write with it warm from his vile heart.

It is raining here to night quite hard it will be very mudy again here. it is quite like spring here. some of the farmers have sown their Oats. I wrote to you last Sunday and was expecting a letter from you to day and was over anxious to get it as Vie wrote that you had a sore throat. But when I got the letter and saw it was not your hand writing ! you can bet I felt rather streaked. I thought every thing but what was comfortable to think happened you. I was almost afraid to open the letter. But soon thought I might as well know the worst. I opend the letter and it was from Julia. But how diferent I felt after all doubt was removed from my mind you must cheer up and look to the future for happiness for there never has been any in the past for either of us to look back for if my life is to be such as it has been for the last few years. I do not care how soon I get into the battle field the sooner the Better. if we are doomed to disappointments all the days of our lives, of what use is it to live. Diane you know not the trouble that was on my mind for a month before I enlisted and if you had been in my place you would have done the same thing I done and if it was to do over again I would do the same thing. You have heard me talkin two or three years ago about leaving home and going West and other places, but I never told you why I wanted to get away from home for it was because I had no more priveldges than a slave at home, nothing was wright that I done nor could I do any thing wright. I stood it as long as human nature could you know what hapend when I broke out I think that day was the most fortunate day of my life & had it hapend 4 years ago it would have been money in my pocket I was blamed for runing around and not staying at home, a place I would rather leave than eat at any time it never seemed like home to me the more I think of it the more I wonder how I stood it as long as I did This is the reason that I am so well contented here I am away from a place I had to call home. It seem strange to me to hear these sick men on all sides of me talking about going home, for I dont think I should have any such desire if I was sick I would like to be with you at all times but as we are separated by distance we must remain so for the present I intend to come back to see you in about a month if we go to Columbus Ohio to guard prisoners four Companeys of the Regt. left here friday for Columbus if we go we will probley go this week I dont think they will discharge us for sometime perhaps not till the war is over. I sent you a ring in the last letter I wrote to you. perhaps that is the reason that it did not get through I made it of a clam shell and took a good deal of pains to make it nice for you. But it appears that I was doomed to be disappointed even in that little thing and so it goes from one thing to another

[in margin: Diana Rutledge]

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Albinus R. Fell enlisted on 9 December 1861 as a private in the OVC. He was promoted to Corporal in 1862 and then Quartermaster Sergeant in 1863. Known by several self-ascribed names, he primarily signed his letters “Bill” or “William”, although he did, for some unknown reason, occasionally sign off as “Oscar”, “Paul Clifford”, “Sixteenstring Jack”, “Orpheius Kin” or various other obscure names. He does state in one of his letters “…my name I will not write that for various reasons…”, so perhaps it was to purposely conceal his identity. His wife Diana - whom he also referred to as Lydia - had a bit of trouble in her later years claiming his pension due to the discrepancies regarding his name ! A General Affidavit was submitted on Diana’s behalf attesting to the fact that Fell served in the Ohio 6th, that he was the only “Fell” in the company, and while in the service “…Albinus Fell always went by the name of Bill Fell…”. His discharge took place on 12 December 1864 in Petersburgh, VA.

Born in 1840 in Mercer County, PA., Fell - according to his letters - seemed to have had a very difficult time growing up, and in one instance referred to abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. His bitterness regarding his family of origin is palpable and made for a brave, fierce soldier. Fell and Diana married on 14 December 1861 in Trumbull County, Ohio and following his service, went on to have 3 children - Clara, John and Jessie. Fell was employed as a retail druggist and merchant.

eBay auction item - February 2008 - Item #250214083171