John Sunderland was a private in Company K of the 11th Cavalry unit NYSV, or "Scott's 900". He enlisted in Canton on Dec. 22, 1863 and served until December 16, 1864 when he died of small pox at St. Louis Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was 22 at the time of his death. The following are letters written by, and about, John.
1864
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| February 17, 1864 | Washington, DC | Dear Friends at home I take the present opportunity to write a fell [few] lines to you[.] Well I am not very well to day[,] I have had a savere head ache to day but feele a little better to… |
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| March 31, 1864 | Mississippi River | Home We are now in Camp on a confiscated plantation rented from the gouverenment |
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| April 5, 1864 | Donaldsonville, Louisiana | Have I received your kind and welcomed letter of the 20th this afternoon. it being the first that I have received from you since we left Alexandria and I was very glad to hear from home and to… |
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| April 30, 1864 | Donaldsonville, Louisiana | Dear Friends at home I received your kind and welcomed letter of the 5th day before yesterday and was glad to hear that you all wer well and it found me enjoying the same blessing. |
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| May 14, 1864 | Donaldsonville, Louisiana | Dear Friends at Home. I again seete myself on the flore with an old box to write on to pen a few lines to you to let you know that I am well and I hope these few lines will finde you all… |
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| May 17, 1864 | I received your very kind letter and hasten to answer it with sad news to write you. Your brother Darwin is killed or reported to be |
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| June 4, 1864 | Donaldsonville, Louisiana | Dear friends at Home I received your kind and welcomed letter of the 8 May last Wedensday and was very glad to hear that you wer all well at home |
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| June 25, 1864 | Donaldsonville, Louisiana, New Orleans, LA | Home Well I am still able to pen a few lines to you[.] I reseived yours of the 6th of June last Monday making the distence in 14 days and I also reseieved yours of the 30th of May last… |
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| July 2, 1864 | Home I again seat myself to pen a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 18th of June in which I found the dollar bill but I did not neede it for we got ower pay on the very day that I heard… |
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| July 16, 1864 | Doil's Plantation, LA | Mother I again seat myself to pen a few lines to you to apprise you of my welfair[.] well I have ben quite sick for the last 2 weeks with the feveragure [fever ague] but am a… |
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| July 23, 1864 | Doil's Plantation, LA | Home I again seat myself to pen a few lines to y[ou] to let you know that I am quite well at present and hope that these few lines will find you all the same[.] |
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| July 23, 1864 | Mother you wanted to know whether I had a bible or testiment or eny Christian friend. |
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| August 14, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | Dear Friends at home I again seat myself to pen a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 20th of July which I reseived a week ago yesterday. |
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| August 29, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | My Dear Uncle I wrote to the madame a few days ago telling her how John was getting along. I think you will be pleased to hear that he is not in the Hospital[,] for if he was he would die of… |
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| October 1, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | Dear Friends at home I again seat myself to pen a few lines to you to let you know of my welfair[.] I am still at my Uncles and am feeling quite well for this climate but am quite weak yet[.] |
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| October 20, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | Dear friends at Home I again seat myself to pen a few lines to you to let you know that I am ganing [gaining] some in flesh but feele quite feeble yet. |
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| November 17, 1864 | Dear Brother Charley I take the presant opportunity to pen a few lines to you. I am sick in the hospital and suffring a goodele with the Chronick dieree [diarrhea][.] |
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| November 23, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | Dear friends at home I take the presant opportunity to pen a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 2 which came to hand yesterday and very glad I was to hear from home for it is 5 weeks… |
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| December 22, 1864 | New Orleans, LA | My Dear Sister He who doeth all things well, hath again called on you to mourn the loss of a son. Your Dear “John” is no more. |
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