"May 2d, 1863, Just as we were going to dinner, Captain Simmons made his appearance, ate very heartily, and left immediately. He had had nothing to eat for thirty-six hours, was then on the wing with the wagons and the few men left at " Camp Devereux," to join
his command. He bade me good-bye, and remarked, that he hoped I might not have a Yankee Captain to dinner the next day.... Dirty and soiled as he was, he looked very handsome he had not heard of the Colonel for three days."I believe this to be Capt. William A. Simmons of the 17th LA Inf., Co D. Who was "the colonel?"
"Camp Devereaux" is written in quotation marks, perhaps to disguise the location - just indicating that he had come from whereever Major Devereaux was. She was writing to her daughters who would have picked up on what she was trying to get across. Elizabeth was very careful, using initials, burning letters from her soldier sons to keep information out of the hands of the enemy, etc. The camp may have been named for Maj. John G. Devereux of Co. I, 1st Louisiana Heavy Artillery who served as A.A.G. to Martin Luther Smith in 1862. Is it possible that this camp was named in his honor due to his position on Smith's staff the name given Baldwin's Brigade camp near Vicksburg prior to the brigade being rushed south to Port Gibson?
Thanks,
Sue Moore