I have not received a letter from any where since Christmas. #civilwar150

Tullahoma Tenn Jany 10 63

My Dear Mother

I am sorry not to have been able to have written to you sooner, especially as Augustus arrived on yesterday & told me how anxious you had been about not hearing from me. I wrote you a short note from Murfeesboro on December 31, saying that I as Qr Master would not be allowed to be on the field of battle and consequently would be in safety up to last Saturday morning. We were all certain that our troops had gained a great & decided victory when to our great surprise, we received orders to start with our wagons in retreat and had to travel through the entire night and reached Manchester about 10 o’clock Sunday morning and we have been hauled about backwards & forwards every day since until yesterday when we arrived here & encamped.  Our retreat is certainly a most shameful proceeding and I think it ought to kill Bragg.

The Yankies commenced their retreat two hours before our troops commenced falling back, so that both forces were whipped. Our loss in the retreat must have been considerable. The road for thirty miles was lined with broken wagons & tents & cooking vessels thrown out. Our loss in the battle is estimated at about 5000 killed, wounded, & missing, while the Feds must have lost four times as many. Our Regt lost 2 killed 70 wounded & 10 missing. One of the killed was Stanhope Erwin (Captain Hardy’s brother in law). He was shot through the head on Friday. His body could not be recovered. No man in the regiment would have been more missed than he. Guss reached here in safety, but could not get our boxes through so I fear my apples will be lost. All of Mr. Andrew Erwin’s family have left home & except himself & wife. Annie Robinson, I hear has gone to Buncombe. I cannot form and idea how long we will remain here but do not expect to stay long. You had best direct to me here until you hear further from me. I have not received a letter from any where since Christmas.

Your4 Affect Sion

TW Patton

 

Sources: 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 Patton Family Papers, Southern Historical Collections, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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I don’t think as I used to and things don’t seem as they did… #cw150

Richmond,VA., June 15, 1862

Dear Mother:

I hope you are not uneasy about me because I have not written before.  I knew if I wrote it would take a week for you to get it, so I put if off till I could send it by Mr. Albert Farmer, who will go tomorrow.  The Surgeon of the hospital has given me a passport to stay wherever I please in the city and report to him every week.  I believe I should go crazy if I had to stay out in the hospital where everything is so dull and disheartening.  In fact I don’t believe I am the same being I was two weeks ago, at least I don’t think as I used to and things don’t seem as they did.  I don’t believe I will ever get over the death of George.  The more I think of him the more it affects me, and unless I am in some battle and excitement I am eternally thinking of the last moments of his life.  How he must have suffered, if he was conscious of it.  I shall never forget it.  I think a long letter from some of you would make me feel so much better.  I shall send by Mr. Farmer my watch, sleeve buttons, also the shirt I wore off.  Everything I ought to have left at home I brought away and a great many things I ought to have brought I left behind.  I only brought one flannel shirt, and by the way I’ll send this one back and try this summer without them, as they are very heavy for summer wear.  The war news you read every day in the papers, but Capt. Billy Brown came down from Gordonville with some ofJackson’s prisoners.  He says he was in Lynchburg.  Twenty-two hundred were sent in and that thirteen hundred were on the way.

The Yankees that are near Richmond, we don’t hear anything of, everything is quiet.  Please some of you write me soon.

Your loving son,

Walter

Source: Joel Craig and Sharlene Baker, eds., As You May Never See Us Again: The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th NorthCarolina Infantry  (Wake Forest,NC: The Scuppernong Press, 2010). See also Laura Elizabeth Lee, Forget-Me-Nots of the Civil War: A Romance Containing Reminiscences and Original Letters of Two Confederate Soldiers (St. Louis, Missouri: A.R. Fleming Printing Co, 1909).

 

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I wrote you last night but for fear it may not reach you I will write again #cw150

May 9th, 1862

My dear Wife

I wrote you last night but for fear it may not reach you I will write again… to let you know that I am still in the land of the living.  We are about done falling back, I suppose.  Tomorrow or next day will place us where we will make a stand for Richmond.  No one amongst us fears the result… our men have shown superior fighting qualities.  Of 44 prisoners I saw today only four were Yankees, the rest foreigners….  We are only about 22 miles fromRichmondbut march very slowly, only about 4 miles today.

Honey, I will write again as soon as I can send off the letter, but we have no facilities for writing as we scarcely ever have our wagons.  May our merciful father protect us.  My love to all and take my whole heart to yourself.

Your devoted Husband

 

Sources: William Hassler, ed., One of Lee’s Best Men: The Civil War Letters of General William Dorsey Pender (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1999). William Dorsey Pender papers, Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/p/Pender,William_Dorsey.html

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I do not expect you can hardly read this, as it is done by a log fire on my cartridge box. #cw150

March 23rd, 1862

 

Dear Mother:

            As Walter did not mention me in his letter, I thought I would let you know that I am well.  Walter has told you nearly everything that transpired on our tramp, so I have not anything to tell except the burning of the property at Manassas the same day that we left.  We had been told to go to the Junction and get what things out of our boxes as we could carry on our backs, for the boxes would not be carried on the train.  After we left, the town was set on fire, and I expect that a million dollars’ worth of property was consumed.  We had to leave our little Bantam chickens, as we had no way to carry them.  The first night of our march, I never suffered so much from fatigue in my life.  When we did halt we fell on the ground and slept soundly until next morning.  I do not expect you can hardly read this, as it is done by a log fire on my cartridge box.  Must close.  Good bye.

Your loving son,

GEORGE.

 Source: Laura Elizabeth Lee, Forget-Me-Nots of the Civil War: A Romance Containing Reminiscences and Original Letters of Two Confederate Soldiers (St. Louis, Missouri: A.R. Fleming Printing Co, 1909).  See also Joel Craig and Sharlene Baker, eds., As You May Never See Us Again: The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry  (Wake Forest, NC: The Scuppernong Press, 2010).

 

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We are playing the soldier now in good earnest #civilwar150

HDQTS. SPECIAL BRIGADE, NEAR RAPIDAN STATION, VA., March 23rd, 1862

 My Dear Mother:

            We received your letter last night dated the 6th of March.  “Tis the first time any of us have heard from home within the last two weeks.  We have had considerable excitement since you last heard from us.  To-day, two weeks ago, we evacuated Manassas and have been moving to the rear ever since.  We are now on the South side of the Rapidan River, where I think we will make a stand.  But nothing is known for certain, I don’t believe the Generals themselves know.  The night we left Manassas (about sunset) we marched ten miles that night, stopped about two o’clock and slept on the ground with the sky for a covering.  We haven’t had a tent in two weeks.  We are playing the soldier now in good earnest.  The last three days we marched it rained every night just as soon as we would stop for the night.  After walking all day, carrying your ALL on your back, then having to start a fire out doors without wood (we have no light wood) and cook your next day’s ration, is pretty hard soldiering, I can assure you.  Though the boys all seem to be cheerful.  We have very little sickness and for the last ten days (a circumstance not known before since we have been in Virginia) we haven’t had a man to die in the Regiment.  Pat Simms and his recruits have not yet arrived, they were stopped at Gordonsville some time ago, while we were making our retreat from Manassas.  We expect them daily.

            The Yankees have been some distance this side of Manassas.  Our troupes had a little skirmish with them a day or two after we left, some of the Cavalry came in sight of our pickets.  They fired on them and they disappeared, ‘tis reported that they have gone back to Centerville, perfectly non-plussed at our movement.  The country we are now occupying is the prettiest and the most beautiful scenery you ever saw.  We can see the mountains in the distance covered with snow, and when the sun shines it is sublime.  We are on what is called the “Clark Mountain.”  There is a mountain or rather a hill, on a mountain, about a quarter of a mile off that commands a view of the country for miles around, some of the men are up there all the time.  I intend to send this letter to Richmond to be mailed.  I do not know that there is any communication between here and Richmond.  We only got the old mail that was stopped at Gordonville.  Mac Williams, one of our company is going to Richmond tomorrow on business.  I will get him to mail it for me.

            I do not see a word about this move in the papers, so I must think the Government is withholding it from them, to prevent the Yankees from obtaining information.  Johnnie Dunham is still A. A. Genl. Of the Brigade and I am writing for him, though I do not have one third to do that I did at Manassas, as that was a regular military post.  We had  inspection to-day, to see how the guns, etc., were getting on after the hard usage and bad weather they have gone through lately.

            Write soon.  We may get all of your letters, though you might not get all of ours, unless mailed beyond Gordonsville.  Give my love to all the family, Aunt and Claudia, etc. etc.  I remain,

            Your sincere and devoted son,

            WALTER

 Source: Laura Elizabeth Lee, Forget-Me-Nots of the Civil War: A Romance Containing Reminiscences and Original Letters of Two Confederate Soldiers (St. Louis, Missouri: A.R. Fleming Printing Co, 1909).  See also Joel Craig and Sharlene Baker, eds., As You May Never See Us Again: The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry  (Wake Forest, NC: The Scuppernong Press, 2010).

 

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When we camped for the night, everything that we could not carry on our backs was burned up #cw150

RETREATING MANASSAS, March 14, 1862

 Dear Mother:

            We are all well as can be expected from the situation that we are now in.  We have retreated from Manassas on account of not being able to hold our position.  We are now 25 miles from Manassas, across the Rappahannock, and camped upon a high hill that commands a splendid view of that part of the river, which the enemy is compelled to cross.

            We left Manassas on Sunday night and traveled until about 1 o’clock.  When we camped for the night, everything that we could not carry on our backs was burned up, and I can tell you that you cannot imagine how much we suffered on the march, which consisted of three days’ traveling, loaded down with our baggage and equipment, sleeping on the hard, cold ground, feet sore, half fed on hard dry crackers and meat.  Our lot was not to be envied and it is amazing how we bore up under the circumstances.  We have been at this place for a day or two, for what purpose I know not, unless it be for us to recruit up for another march.  We have no tents here to sleep in, but we have made ourselves shelters out of cedar bushes.  We all seem to flourish, nevertheless.

            The night we left Manassas it was burnt down and I expect there was a million of goods consumed on that night, all the soldiers’ clothes they could not carry with them and everything that could have been expected to be at such a place where everything was sent to this division of the army, all was burnt.

            I do not know where to tell you to send your letters, for I do not know how long we will stay here, so I reckon you had better not write at all.  When I get to a place where it is likely we will stay, I will write again at a better opportunity.

            Give my love to all.  Goodbye.

            Your loving son,

            GEORGE.

 Source: Laura Elizabeth Lee, Forget-Me-Nots of the Civil War: A Romance Containing Reminiscences and Original Letters of Two Confederate Soldiers (St. Louis, Missouri: A.R. Fleming Printing Co, 1909).  See also Joel Craig and Sharlene Baker, eds., As You May Never See Us Again: The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry  (Wake Forest, NC: The Scuppernong Press, 2010).

 

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I have a horror of drunken soldiers, particularly when ladies are about #civilwar150

Camp Barton, Va., March 15th, 1862

My dear Wife

            I received a nice long letter from you informing me that you were still in town, and here I have been sending letters to Town Creek more than a week.  I was so glad to find you so well contented.  The Yankees are this side of where you were a month ago, but I did not leave my houses very comfortable.  The roofs, doors, floors, etc. were burned.  The logs would not burn….

            I brought off your two chairs and my stove and consequently I am very comfortable.  The Doctor brought two hospital mattresses as we have no sick in hospital, I have one of them.  The Regt. has never been in anything like as good health since I have been with it, as now.  I have changed my tactics.  I tell them we have but two places to shelter men, the company tents or guard-house, and as I have a good driver over the inmates of the latter, the sick list has considerably decreased.

            I have been exceedingly hoarse and attended with my sore throat—for three days, produced by drilling and cold, but today the soreness has improved very much.  I have not attempted to drill but once, and that soon after I got hoarse.  I did not write you that I took a big dose of oil after you left.  It was an awful dose at that.

            The arrangements for an escort will do.  When I wrote, I thought you were suffering with one of your nervous attacks, and I could not bear the idea of having you travel under such mental depression without a proper escort.

            What a lucky thing it seems to me that you had that mishap.  It would have worried me very much if you had gone on to maturity in that condition, for I should have known that you were very unhappy.  Honey, get brother Robert to go as far as Goldsboro if Jake is to meet you there.  There are so many soldiers there at High Point—I have a horror of drunken soldiers, particularly when ladies are about, for it would appear that men do not act so badly until they get to be soldiers.  What is Jake going to do?

            I shall try to go to Church tomorrow if it does not rain all day as it has today.  I have seldom seen so much rain in one day.

            I have not answered Jake’s letter asking for advice.  I hope you wrote to him after getting my letter.  I have not written because I did not like to advise him.  I should hate to have him join my Regt. and then by any chance I should be removed from it.  Do you know that it surprised me very much when you wrote that you were going to write him to enlist under me.  If he should come on I will keep him with me until the spring opens.  I have owed your brother a letter a long while and I must try to answer it tonight.  I will try to write you again tomorrow night.  Good night and may God bless you all.

Your devoted Husband

Sources: William Hassler, ed., One of Lee’s Best Men: The Civil War Letters of General William Dorsey Pender (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1999). William Dorsey Pender papers, Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/p/Pender,William_Dorsey.html

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Battle of New Bern: “we could not hold it and therefore set the town on fire and retreated” #cw150

Kinston

March 15th 1862

 MY DEAR MOTHER

I wrote to you this morning to let you know that I was safe.  I have since heard that Willie is also safe, but have not seen him.  A gentleman told me just now that he knew him to be safe.  Time will determine.  I hope he is safe but have my doubts about it.  I do not think he is killed, but he may be a prisoner.  He was on the right where the hardest fighting was but I understand he was not engaged in it at all.

            The enemy, 24,000 strong, came upon us about half past 7 o’clock yesterday morning.  We numbered about 6,000 and were behind our entrenchments about 5 miles below Newbern.  The strongest part of the attack was made upon our right.  Our Regiment was upon the extreme left and was not much engaged but the shell fell thick and fast around us, bursting above us and all around us.  It was terrible, but our men stood it nobly.  There was but one man killed and three or four wounded in our regiment.  About 10 o’clock the enemy turned our right flank and we were ordered to retreat and such a mess I never saw.  I endeavored to get our men together, but every many was looking out for himself; we retreated to Newberne, but the enemy got there in their gun boats almost as soon as we did on land.  We saw that we could not hold it and therefore set the town on fire and retreated to this place.  I retreated with the regiment for four or five miles when the alarm was given that the enemy was upon us.  We then scattered through the woods and every man took care of himself.  I waded through several creeks and ditches about waist deep and at last came up with some of our cavalry and rode behind them to this place.  We afterwards found out that this was a false alarm.  All of the men in our company have come in except four or five.  I suppose they will come in during the day unless they are prisoners, for none of our men were killed when I left them.  Capt. Brem’s artillery was cut almost to pieces, I understand, and their guns taken.  We had 16 pieces of artillery and lost nearly everyone of them.  We lost under 50 men killed, among them Lt. Col. Hoke 33rd Regt’s and between 50 and 100 wounded.  The loss of the enemy was 500 or 600.  We took one or two prisoners.  I do not know how many prisoners they took.  I lost every thing I had except my uniform that I have got on and my overcoat.  I do not know whether Aleck escaped or not as I left him at our camp when we went to the entrenchments and I have not seen or heard of him since except that he came over to Newberne soon yesterday morning.  I got here about 12 o’clock last night and went up to Uncle John’s and got a pretty good night’s rest.  I did not sleep more than one hour and a half in the 48 hours before that and was wet to the skin nearly all the time.  I have got along pretty well but am so tired and broken down now that I can hardly stand.  I wish you would send me two shirts (check) two pair of drawers and two or three pair of socks for I have not had on any clean clothes in a week and am as dirty as a hog and have no clothes to change.  I would write more but am so tired and broken down that I can hardly stand.  I will write again perhaps tomorrow.  Love to all.  I hope to see you again some of these days.

Your affectionate Son

James A. Graham

Sources: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1. (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003). Original in James A. Graham Papers, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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