A missing link to the missing Camp Chase Letters has been finally located. For those who have following this bizarre story a mail bag of Confederate letters dated about April of 1862 were found at the lumber room at the Ohio State House in 1904. The letters were taken by Mrs. Charlotte "Lottie" Moon Clark who had taken the letters and was on her way to Richmond, Virginia with the letters and also military information taken from Camp Chase. Mrs. Clark was also a Confederate spy. Once the Federal government caught on a warrant was issued for her arrest and she left the letters behind. They next appeared at the lumber room of the Ohio State House in 1904. Mr. William H. Knauss who was writing a book of Camp Chase was allowed to use some of the letters in his book. The other letters ended up at the Virginia Historical Society and were donated to the VHS by Phillip Porter in 1949. This story is about how Mr. Phillip Porter had custody of the letters. The following is from the Ohio Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

"THE LETTERS THAT NEVER CAME" dated 1929 (From the Confederate Veteran Magazine Volume 37 page 206)

"About twenty years ago , from the dim recesses of a dark closet in the State House at Columbus, Ohio, there was brought to light a dusty bag which contained a number of letters written by Confederate prisoners held at Camp Chase during the War between the States. No one will ever know why these pathetic missives never reached their destinations. There was no word that could offend the sternest censor, for all tried to make the best of their lot, to cheer the spirits of those at home, hoping that ""this dreadful war"" would soon be over, and they could come home again. Let us hope that many did reach home again, instead of being among those pitiful two thousand home-sick souls so easily falling prey to camp diseases and buried so far from those who loved them. In some of the letters is mentioned a Mrs. Smith" (Really Mrs. Clark) "who had been getting letters through the lines to Richmond. Something happened, we shall never know what, through some mischance. We shall never cease to be moved to tears over the ""love and kisses"" that one yearning father sent his little boy-never to be given.
The letters were turned over to the Ohio State Library and were carefully indexed. The State Librarian, C.B. Galbraith, called the attention of the late Col. W.H. Knauss to the letters. It was Colonel Knauss, a veteran of the Union army, whose influence brought it about that the United States government took over the perpetual care of the Camp Chase Cemetery. In his book on Camp Chase, he copied many of the letters, with some photostats.
So many years had elapsed even since they had been found, and the possibility of getting the letters to those who might rightfully lay claim to them had never occurred to anybody until the President of the Ohio Division, Mrs. Albert Sidney Porter, said, ""Why not?"" and straightway set to work upon the problem. We have been nearly two years at work upon it, valiant, intrepid little Mrs. Porter encouraging and abetting her committee, and, after many delays, of expediency, etc. We now have the letters in our hands!
Words fail to express the gratitude of the Ohio Division toward Captain John M. Maynard, Clerk of the House of Representatives of Ohio. It was he who told us the proper procedure, who obtained the enthusiastic indorsement of the three G.A.R. men serving in the legislature, a gracious and most helpful touch, and it was through him that ""Joint Resolution No. 10"" was presented through the proper channels and voted on at once, instead of being side-tracked in a committee! It was all most impressive, and so very exciting as the long rolls of names were called, first in the House then the Senate, and the ""ayes,"" one after another, kept coming in, and then, finally, we knew the letters were ours!
Mrs. Porter has been tabulating a list of the letters to be published in the VETERAN and all Southern newspapers, so that it may reach as many as possible who might be interested. There are about one hundred and ninety letters, and if just one may reach the family of the loved one for whom it was intended, or, if the ""love and kisses"" may be delivered to the son or the grandson of that little boy who never received them, how we shall all fairly glow with happiness and how amply we shall feel rewarded! Ther letters of those whose families cannot be reached after a reasonable time, will be placed in the Confederate Museum at Richmond, Virginia."

In 1949 the brother-in-law of Mrs. Albert Sidney Porter (Mr. Phillip Porter) would donate the letters to the Virginia Historical Society where they remain to his day. Less than twenty years later Mr. Phillip Porter would be found murdered at his home in Shaker Heights, Ohio, his home looted and many Civil War artifacts taken. A man was convicted of the murder and from what I understand is still serving time.