The brigade mail boy was arrested and confined for breaking open leters. He is to be shot I reckon. #cw150

Camp near Fredericksburg

May 20/63

Deer farther and family

I take my sete this morning to let you know I am well & hope this may come to hand and find you all well. I haveint heard from home since John Sutton came back. I am looking for George every minite. I think he must be coming. I wood like to see him so I cood her from home. I am uneasy about home. Maby I will git a leter from home this eavning.

I havint much news to write to you. Every thing is quiet along the lines but I don’t know how long it will be so. We was revewed yesterday by old Gen. Lee and Lieut General A.P. Hill. The hole division was in the field. You will her from it in a few days. Hill is promoted to lieutenant gen. He is in G. Jacksons place. He is a fine looking man.

They have run in lots of troops from NC for what I cant tell. We will cross the river which I expect we will be fore long. I hope not for I don’t want to cross the river if we was too so many wood be killed in crossing the river and will cut us to pieces on the bridge. But if they say to go we will go and I think we will hafta stay her as long as we lived. When you her about the battle at chancellorsvill whar we whip old fighthing Joe and can whip him agin if he comes over the River any mor.

Farther you must write to me and write me all the news and report how you have got along about stilling for a can her and behave. I wood like to know all about it for I can’t be satisfied till I her from you. Harris cood not tell me anything.

I will wiat till the mail comes to send this. If I don’t get a leter from hom, I wrote this one and it makes 4 since the fight. The brigade mail boy was arrested and confined for breaking open leters. He is to be shot I reckon. He belongs to the 22 NC Reg. He stold lots of my mail. The mail has come and I got a leter from may but none from home. I hope I will git one to read from you! I will close this time.

Your absent son till deth

L.W. Griffin

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 2. (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003).  Original in G. W. Griffin Papers, North Carolina State Archives.

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Without a lasting peace I do not want to return home, and nor would I want to do so while I am able to do duty. #cw150

May 18^th 1863

Dear Father and Mother

I write you a few lines. I am well but some what tired. I just back from Jones borrow at 3 oclock last night. I did not sleep any for 2 nights. My self and my company is giting along very well expect some 3 or 4 sick. I got a letter form home to day which informed me that the Family was sick with the measles. I can not git to go home now but I think I will before long. I was sorry to here that you was ailing and I hope you will soon git beter.

Father the service is hard on me but I stand it as well as any of my men and had harder days before me. We are still under Gen. Jackson  & I think we will be ordered back to the railroad. The news this morning is that the yanhkeys have taken Jackson Mississippi but it is thought to be a union lie. We gained a great victory at Fredersburg and and we take it that we got 40000 stands of arms & routed the yanks and drove them back across the river

Father I herd form David yesterday. He is giting well fast as can go about and will soon be able to ride. Manuel Stetson is here an will go on in a few days. We are soon looking for Eli Ingram badly. I had two men deserted the other day. They were caught and will be tride by a Gen. Court Martial. This policy will be adopted here after – all men absent without Leave this is arrest & do no come in on there own will be tride. Without a lasting peace I do not want to return home, and nor would I want to do so while I am able to do duty.

They yankeys cant whip us nor starve us out. Wheat crops is beter than usual & thar is a very large crop of corn planted. It looks promising We understand that Gen. Price has got an army in massouri of 60000 men & provisions plenty.

Father I have not time to write more now. I f you here from Joshuas boys please let me know and if some of them has bin killed at fredersburg. Let me know how you and mother is giting along. I sent you some things by Mark which I hope you have got. I know all you want to write soon. I have not had a leter from you sence I left cold creek.

Your son as ever

S. Whitaker

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 2. (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003).  Original in Stephen Whitaker Papers, North Carolina State Archives.

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I am getting use to all kinds of hard ships in warfare & though I say it myself I know nothing of cowardice #cw150

Camp Lee Richmond Va

May the 15^th 1863

Mr. Wm. Proffit

Dear Father

I take this kind opportunity of writing you a few lines which will inform you that I am again on the southern soil, well and doing finely. I am sorry to inform you that I unfortunately fell into the hands of the enemy on Sunday the 3^rd inst. I will now try to tell you how it happened as we were on the march to the battlefield.

I with another corporal were appointed to guard the flag, one of the most dangerous positions in battle. On Saturday night there fell a bomb in my company & exploded in 4 or 5 feet of me & wounded the flag bearer and five or six of my co taking off one mans leg & wounding my lieutenant. When the flag of my country fell to the earth I grabbed it with my own hands. My colonel told me to throw down my gear and hold on to my flag which I did. That night the Yankees charged on us but we soon repulsed them. The next morning we made a charge on them & routed them from their first breast works & proceeded to the second and was ordered to charge them which part of us did. I carried the flag to the breastworks. We routed a long line of them & held our position but the 28^th NC Regt on our right failed to charge them. The enemy commenced firing upon our lines and gave them a chance to retake their works again which gave us no chance to escape. I lay there with two lines of battle cross firing at me at a short distance & three batteries throwing grape at me no more than 3 or 4 hundred yards distant. The first I knew the yanks were in five steps when two jumped over the breast works & grabbed the flag out of my hand & said to me fall in John ha ha ha. John fell in but did no like to do it.

They took us to Washington and kept us about 13 days. They treated us with great respect, gave us plenty to eat. When they brought us from Washington we came down the Potomac through Chesipeak bay by fortress Monroe, then up the james river to citty point near Petersburg where we landed. We came here to camp Lee Richmond last night. I do not know when we will be carried to our regiments but I suppose shortly. I am unable to say what became of Alfred and William. Alfred give out the night before I was taken. We had had nothing to eat for a day or so & marched hard which made him sick & he was sent back to the rear. I think that nothing but fatigue & hunger was the matter. William was in the fight some of his co is here as prisoners. They say that he was not hurt the last they saw of him & I hope he was not. My Col was killed & my Lieut  Col was wounded & the great Gen. Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men & is now dead.

Father I am getting use to all kinds of hard ships in warfare & though I say it my self I know nothing of cowardice & God forbid that I ever should. The lord has been very merciful to me & I fear I have no a heart to praise him as I ought. I want you & all my friends to remember at a throne of grace. I will no close. Give my warmest love to mother, Sis and all my friends. Write soon & direct to Co D 18^th Reg. NCT, Richmond Va, I remain yours with great respect.

J. Proffit

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 2. (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003).  Original in Proffitt Family Papers, Southern Historical Collection, UNC-CH.

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When I write again I hope I will have something else to write on but my hand and knee. #cw150

May the 14^th 1863

Hamelton’s Crossing

Sir, I seat myself this morning to in form you that I am tolerable well and truly hoping these few lines may find you all in good health. The rest of the boys is tolerable well. Dobys boys complaining some of not being well. I and Smith got to his Reg the 6^th day of this month went to the 7^th and stayed a day. A.D. Kinney was slightly wounded in the brest not dangerously. So some of the company told me since I came hear and I am hopeful that he will get a furlough on the account of his being hoarse so he can not talk if he does not get a furlough he will soon come to camp. I like camp just as well as I expected and not very well at that we got Enough to eat such as meat and bred 1 pint of flour and they say pound of meat and draws some sugar. That is as much as I can eat the way we have to cook. If I was at home I could eat it one meal so I let that suffice.

Everything is very high hear peas is $1.75 per quart, butter 4 dollar lbs soda $6lbs. I am in better hopes of the army being support than I was for if they have another such a fights as they had it will not take much to support the army.  Them men back always boasting of our men getting so many arms they do get a lot and ours is killed from the breach of hundreds of those arms and they take a great many from the yankee. This is said to be the greatest and most compleat victory of the Confederacy and it want take many more such victorys to finish our army though they whipted old Joe and some 7,000 yankees came up and surrendered and they taken a good many of our men. So you in no doubt have heard more than I can tell you. The 7 Regt was badly cut up and they said they had nothing but fun. You can guess at it there was 186 wounded and killed in the 14 regt. Some companys in the regt has not more 8 or 10 men left. They think they will never attempt to come over hear again but I cant tell what they will do. I heard some men say before I left home they would never attempt to cross hear. This time every body says old Joe made the best move that any of them has ever made. If he had been a little sooner, he would have surrounded the army. The men hear is powerful tired and some 6 leaves every night. Since I have been hear we drawed rations. Since I have been writing and I could eat it up if I had to work and not have half enough though I get plenty because no body can eat much such a doing as we have flys on our meat and never wash it. You can hear the sand crack and when our bread get could you can put it in your mouth clamp you teeth and bide it some half a dozen times before you can get off this is so as I have not been here long. I will say no moore. I should like to be on the Nooe Hill plowing my corn if it was convenient. Alfred Smith thinks it severe but he will get to liking it after a little. T.F. Tippett was hit by a spent ball not seriously. We had no difficulty in finding the Reg. Times is hard and will be no better till this war is over. You must tell the girls to work + make corn + save the harvest, I pitty them but I cant better their condition myself. I should love to get back we are so badly fixed here tha I can not write to do any good. You must look over it a time or too. So I must close by asking you to write soon.

Yours Respectfully,

B.R.Kinney

Direct your letters to Guinney Station, VA

Co D. 14^th NC Troop in care of

Capt Weere, Ramseur’s Brigade

PS – WH Badgett

Sir if you get this letter I wrote one home a few days agoe and you may get yours and they may not. If you get this letter and anyone is hoping to hear from me tell them we can see Yankees tents every day. When I write again I hope I will have something else to write on but my hand and knee.

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I have no news of much importance to write you only General Jackson departed this life yesterday.#cw150

May the 11^th 1863

S.T. Jackson

Dear Brother

I take the present opportunity of dropping you a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you. If you have me it seames that you don’t intend to write to me any more or if you do I don’t get your letters. I want to know what is the matter that you don’t write or have I done any thing to keep you from writing. If so let me know what it is so no more on that subject at present.

I am well at present and hope these few lines will come safe to hand and find you and all the family well and Coles & Family. I have no news of much importance to write you only General Jackson departed this life yesterday. He rec’d a wound in the last battle at Fredericksburg in his left arm. Our own men done it but I heard today that it was a bumshell that struck and that he never recovered from the shock.

It is a great loss to us and I fear that it will bother us to find a man to fill his place though I hope we will and soon (god can give us a man to stand tall in his place). I hope it is for the better if it is gods will for us to gain our independence it is all right. I saw about 2000 yankey prisoners yesterday going to Richmond. There has went some 5000 by us to Richmond and a good many others so no more on that subject.

You need not send them shoes that I wrote to you for I have bought a pair since and don’t need them at present. So I must close for the present by saying write soon and direct your letters to Richmond Va 26 Regt NC Troops Co H General Pettigrews Brigade. Give my love to mother and Martha and all the family and Cole and family. So no more at present only I remain your loving Brother

J.A. Jackson

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1 and original in Richard A. Cole papers, North Carolina State Archives.

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I com threw the battle safe an was not hirt…trees and bushes was cut all to peses #cw150

May the 9 1863

Dear father

I take my pen in hand to let you no that I am well at presant hopen when thes few lines comes to hand may find you in joyin the same blessings. I can in form you that I have not had nothing to eat in two days an almoast starved. I want you to bring mee a box of pervisions if you can for times is hard. No news is com. I com threw the battle safe an was not hirt. Maryan was not hirt. It was bad looken times. The trees and bushes was cut all to peses with balls and grap shot. Right soon and let me no how times is at hom at this time.

Dear mother I would like to be at hom if I cood. Well I never new what bad times was before in my life. Give all my friends my best respets that I can give them. I have not receved no money sence I was at home. I neede something to eat mity hard if I cood git it. Father if you can com er send mee and Mareyn a box please do.

So I must close for this time. Right soon as you git this letter. I still remain loving son tel death Thornton Sexton to Mr. Pryier Sexton. My love a true respts to my father and mother.

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 2. (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003).  Original in Sexton letters, Duke University Special Collections.

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I have no newse of importance more than what I have wrote that is worth spoiling paper with. #cw150

Hanover Court House Va

May the 9^th 1863

On the Fredericksburg Road at the bridge on Northanna River

27 miles from Richmond

Miss Martha R. Jackson

Dear sister I rec’d your kind letter yesterday morning and it was a welcome visitor. You may depend I was more than glad to hear from you and all the rest of the family and Cole and family and the Neighbors general and that you were all well. I am well at presant and hope these few lines will soon come to hand and find you all the same. The Company is in very good health at present but very few sick in it. We have very near 100 men for duty at any rate we draw rations for 99 and they are all able for duty.

I havnt much news to write you at this time only they say that General Lee has whipt the yankeys again at Fredericksburg and taken about ten thousand prisoners and several peaces of artillery and drove them back across the rapahoac with heavy loss. There is supposed to be some where about 40 thousand kilt wounded and missing and our loss 10 thousand. I saw yesterday 2000 prisoners pass the bridge that we are garding and some 1200 more this morning passed down the Railroad in about the 1/2 of the miles of where we are standing. Some of our boys saw them this morning. I did not see them I was off fishing when they passed this morning. I hear there is a great many behind yet. They say it was one of the hardes fought battle that has been fought since the war commenced. So I shal say no more about the battle for some body else can give a better description than I can and that will be put in the papers for every body to read.

I have no newse of importance more than what I have wrote that is worth spoiling paper with. You said Mother wanted to know how I was getting along in the army. Well just as I always have only I don’t get but a ? pound bacon per day but I got shugar now in the place of meat ? of a pound per day. Times is hard here but if they don’t get any worse I think I can stand it at least I intend to try it a while longer before I do like B. Stutts. So I must close by saying write soon and direct your letters to Richmond Va. 26 Regt NC Co H in care of Capt. J.D. McIver Pettigrews Brigade. Give my love Mother and Brother and my respects to the rest of the family & all enquiring friends.

Your ever loving Brother

J.A. Jackson to M.R. Jackson

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1 and original in Richard A. Cole papers, North Carolina State Archives.

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If I don’t get to come around this month I want you to get Sarah Rosalyne Baptised. #cw150

Camp near Kinston NC

May the 3^rd 1863

 

Kind and Affectionate Wife,

 I wrote you a few lines last evening. But as I have nothing to do on this Holly Sabbath evening for the first time this year. We have not had an inspection to see if our guns are clean. All we have to do all day is clean our guns. Our out-post fired the other night and had our Regiment out in a line of battle but it proved to be a falce alarm. Company G was the first company on the field and with their guns loaded and was ready for the infernal Murderous Yankees.

I have been reading all day and I have read through Revalations to day. But I am not all together pleasant to the Diety of Parents to their children which I do not believe. I will send for you before long. I am to send this letter by M.L. Connall. John Kanipe landed safe last night.

If I don’t get to come around this month I want you to get Sarah Rosalyne Baptised. I have not heard from our small pox men since last Tuesday. There is no more pox in the company. Give my respects to all. Write soon for I remain your true husband,

C.H. Dixon

Direct in care of Capt. Petty’s Co.

 

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1 and original in C.H. Dixon Papers, Special Collections, Duke University.

 

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While in service the soldiers are acquiring habits that will be Ruinous to society when the war is over #cw150

Camp Burney, Pitt Co., NC

April the 16^th 1863

Brother, I seat myself to drop you a few lines. My health is good and has been since I wrote to you before. There is nothing strange here that could write you about – times here are pretty exciting — there has been more or less fighting at Washington everyday for the last 3 weeks. We are in camps 25 miles from Washington. Our picket posts in about the same. We can hear the artillery very plainly our guns have sunk two of their gun boats at Hill’s Point five miles below Washington. We hear various rumors here first that Gen. Hill is waiting for the women and the children to get out of the place and two that he is fortifying the place that he will be able to hold it when he should take it. Another is that he is going to starve them out and still another that he is only holding the Yankees off till he can get provisions from Washington and Hyde Countys. I hope he will take the place. The Yankees I learn are getting very uneasy about Newbern, they are moving commissary and other governmental stores to Beaufort. I presume if Hill should Washington then he will try Newbern. We have had a hard little fight today at our picket post a whole Yankee regiment attacked us across the River. We fought them till they brought up a gun boat to lean on us when we had to leave. We got one man wounded –t he ball entered the Jaws one inch from the mouth on the left side and was taken out on the top of the Right Should. How it rapped around the neck without doing any more damage is more than I can see.

I believe every body in and out of the army have come to the conclusion that the war is likely to continue for an Indefinite period of time. All of the soldiers have given up hopes of the War closing. I have given up all hopes for Peace and I have given up all hopes for our country. Starvation will soon be at our doors. While in service the soldiers are acquiring habits that will be Ruinous to society when the war is over. I cant say I am much worse than I arrived in service but I do know that I have done things I would have never thought of doing at home. I got a letter from JC Loftin the other day, he seems to be well. I wish you would inform me what a good house he bought in your section. Let me hear from you.

Yours truly,

D.W. Badgett

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1 and original in Badgett Collection, Davidson County Historical Museum.

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I will write when I get a chance to get a letter from the office, so don’t be fooled by any idle rumors #cw150

Camp 3 miles from Suffolk

April 14^th [1863]

Dear Papa,

We are all now near Suffolk and I reckon we will have a battle we return but everything seems to indicate that the expedition is almost over for the first time since we left Camp on the 9^th and have been gone three days today.

There has been considerable shelling ever since we arrived as far as I can learn. We have had only two or three wounded in the brigade. Our regiment is in fine fighting order and will. I have no doubt it will do its full share. With respect to the forces on the other side I have not the remotest idea. Gen. Longstreet is in command and that I think is a sufficient indicator that all will be well.

I have at last received my commission and now my full pay. I have no idea how long we will be posted down her. I will write when I get a chance to get a letter from the office, so don’t be fooled by any idle rumors you may hear. I or Jordan will telegraph to Hillsboro as soon as everything is situated. Send word to Uncle that we are both in fine spirits.

Yours with much love

E.F. Satterfield **

PS I would write more but the mail is about to leave.

 ** Satterfield was killed in action in Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.

Source: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1 and original in Satterfield –Merritt Family Papers, Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill.

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