Civil War Repro Quilt Embroidery

The quilt is very special because it houses the writings of some of Judy and Don Payne's relatives. I first met Judy and Don when I was doing my Masters, down in Redlands, California, even going to their spectacular wedding at one point during my time there. We've been good friends ever since.
      I had to take some short cuts on a few of the names, so couldn't  stitch them in full. Some of the names on the quilt are:
 W. Zachary ( 1829-June 1909) ( He was a private in the 32nd Louisana Regiment..)
T. Zachary ( 1827-1864...Killed in Action at the Battle of Jonesboro with the St. Helena Rifles).
B. Zachary (1833-1863...Miles Legion). E. Zachary (1836-1863, KIA in Tennessee).
Ezekiel Brumfield (1839-1861...16th Louisiana Infantry. Died in measles epidemic at Camp More, Louisiana).
   There was a  letter  dated 1863, that Judy sent with all the information, written by one John Payne who served in the Sixth Regiment of the Georgia Cavalry Volunteers. He served til May 1865. It was impossible to include the entire letter on the quilt, so I chose the first and last lines: "I now seat myself to wright ( his spelling)you a few lines...." and "I will write again before long." In the bulk of the letter he talks about  who has died  from smallpox, and how the horses will starve even. It seems like they  lived on cornmeal and some meat, but there wasn't much of either. The letter was quite poignant, since he wrote it to his wife, and he says that he has had only one letter from her....he obviously missed her a great deal.
    The biggest piece of writing I stitched ,onto the border of the quilt, is a poem written by Ezekiel Brumfield ( a first cousin 4 x removed). He was the one who died in the measles epidemic at Camp More.
                            "I who was born by the battlefields,
                     cannot escape a sorrow that dwells,
                                 a valor ( I spelt it with a 'u' to give it a Canadian flavour) that lingers,
                     a hope that spoke on lips now still.       
                                 Come from the four winds,
                                         oh breath,
                     and breathe upon these slain that they may live."
   Brumfield was buried at Camp More, but the camp was burned to the ground by the yankees, and the wooden markers did not survive the fire. Some headstones have been erected there in memory of those buried there, but Ezekiel's has not been erected to date. Well, maybe with the stitching of these words, they will live again.
   I always wanted to make Judy and Don a quilt, but couldn't come up with something  that I was satisfied with. Lo, and behold, after knowing them for about 24 years ( yikes) I have finally found  something poignant to stitch.