Sinking of the USS Monitor and real coffee at New Years #cw150

Gordonsville, Va

Jan 4^th 1863

Dear Sister

Your very kind letter was duly received and its contents well pondered. We have no news here of importance. I believe our victory is not all to gather as…. As it was represented to us by the first report.  We were all at hearing the fate of th Monitor which sank off cape Hattess.**I carried some deserters to the Army last Saturday. I went within 4 miles of Fredericksburg to a little place call Hameltons Crossing. There I delivered my prisoners over to the Provost Marshall Capt Scott

 I left Gordonsville on Friday evening and got to Hanover Junction about 4 o’clock. The tranes not making connection there I had to lie over all night there being no accommodation there. We had to lie on the ground and the worst of all one of my prisoners escaped about midnight. I expected Major Boyle would give me a hauling over about it though he did not. One of our guard received a letter from Capt Chambers stated that the pickets were firing at each other constantly and that he thought the prospect very good for another engagement very soon.

Capt Chambers once belonged to our guard. He was elected Capt of a company through the influence of his cousin. We have lost 4 of our guard quietly lately by promotion and JF Fraley will probably leave us soon. The young Gentlemen and Ladies of the village are going to have a …. Friday night for the purpose of making up money for the sufferers of Fredericksburg. There are about 6000 in all. I suppose who are thown out and destitute of homes. We have hired a most excellent cook and are living tulerbly well. Mr Balentine one of the clerks gave a New Years supper. It was the nicest supper that I have set down to in many a long day. I will tell you what the supper was composed of Baked Turkey, chicken, chicken sailet, cellry, Real coffee, oysters, pickled and stewed, cakes & jelly and – other good things too numerous to mention. After we had got thorugh with supper went to another room where we amused ourselves for a while at cards and checks. In a short time the eggnog was handed round which was very nice. It was then about 2 o’clock. After singing a few spiritual tunes the crowd dispersed. Dr Craig (Hill) of the post Surgeons and some of the wardmasters and the Guard went to the crowd for supper I reckon must have cost Mr Balentine $100, which is right liveral for a solider drawing $17.00 per month. No more at present. I very affectionately your loving Brother

JH Hanes

I would very much pleased to hear of you and George starting to school.

** The ironclad USS Monitor sank in heavy seas off the coast of North Carolina near Cape Hatteras on December 31, 1862.  Some sections of the ship have been salvaged from the wreck and are being conserved in at the Mariner’s Museum in Norfolk, Va.  For more on the Monitor, see here

Sources: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War in North Carolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1. Original in the Catherine Hanes Collection, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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New Years Day 1863: I indulged in now the unwonted luxury of a Pudding…We drank…& saw the last of 1862 #cw150

New Years Day 1863

Sue came down and dined with us today, and we had a quiet chat over our glove knitting. I had long promised her a Goose, her favourite bird, & today I had one which had hung to a turn. Patrick’s Wild Ducks too came into play and it being New Year, I indulged in now the unwonted luxury of a Pudding, for with sugar at 87 ½ to $10 per lb, and with so many calls upon us as we have, I do not think it right to visit the sugar barrel every day. A dinner of four courses is, as Sue remarked, a rarity now-a-days, but New Year must have a new face to welcome it.

 

But Journal I will not begin the New Year by being to chatty to you. Suffice it to say that we wound up the old year with all the customary honours, had our Egg Nog and the attendant good wishes form the servants as they took it, with the additional one that before this year was out the war would be over. Mr E wished them Happy New Year, Good Luck, and death to the Yankees, which done they retired glass in had. We drank ours & saw the last of 1862.

 

January 2, 1863

This morning before our breakfast came a note from Col Leventhorpe CSA, the Col who placed Mr E in command of the defences of the Roanoke River last winter, telling him that he (Col L) had been ordered by Gen French to look after the defences of the River & he very much wished that Patrick should join him and be with him tomorrow – that he should wait at Mr Tillery’s for him this morning. The note closed with a most ominous sentence to the effect that all things indicated a speedy attack upon Weldon and that “in fact there was not time to lose” – a knell to our peace but our trust is in the Lord. He will not suffer “thy foot to by moved & He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber or Sleep.”

Source: Edmondston, Catherine Ann Devereux, 1823-1875, Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston 1860-1866. Crabtree, Beth G and Patton, James W., (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1979). http://nc-historical-publications.stores.yahoo.net/478.html

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I hope another new year will not dawn on us with war & its horrors. ‘Tis awful to contemplate. #cw150

Thursday 1^st [January 1863]

New Year’s day. I hope another new year will not dawn on us with war & its horrors. ‘Tis awful to contemplate. The hands began to kill hogs today, kept them busy to get 16 done. Betsey came this morning & began to weave. She will soon get the cloth out & then the negro’s jeans goes in. Mrs. Fanning has been down with sore throat this week & is no better yet.

Friday 2^nd [January 1863]

I received a letter from Dora this morning. They are all well. No news of importance. There has been a fight of Murfreesboro. We thrashed the yanks soundly. Killing hogs today. Mrs. Parker came here last night at 2 o’clock to get Mr. Henry to go & cup Abbe.  She is sick. He went & Betsey slept with me till day. I got up very soon this morning, soon after 4 & had breakfast by candle light. Two soldiers staid here last night. Very uncouth fellows.

Source: Diary of Cornelia Henry in Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journal and Letters of the Henry Family. Clinard, Karen L. and Russell, Richard, eds. (Asheville, NC: Reminiscing Books, 2008).

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Where shall we be at the end of the year? #civilwar150

January 5, 1862

Sabbath Morning. This is the first Sabbath of the New Year. May I begin the year in the fear of God & spend it in humble dependence on his mercy.  May I be more [illeg] dutious, especially in keeping holy the Sabbath. More diligent in the use of the means of grace – more faithful as a Mother.

The Col. has gone to church on his way to Raleigh to meet Miss Day our amiable & beloved Teacher.  The children are all here, all well & happy and getting their Sunday lessons.  Where shall we be at the end of the year? May God “guide us by his counsel & afterward receive us to his glory.

 Source: Jane Evans Elliot Diaries #5343, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/e/Elliot,Jane_Evans.html

 

 

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my appreciation of your patriotism…invite you and your officers to dine with me tomorrow #cw150

Asheboro, January 1, 1862

 Dear Sir [Captain Leigh Andrews]:

            I would like to give you and the officers and men under your command, before you leave in the Military Service of your Country, some demonstration of my appreciation of your patriotism, and designed to invite you all to tea at my house tomorrow evening at 7 ½ o’clock—but I have just learned that you propose to leave tomorrow.  I therefore invite you and your officers to dine with me tomorrow.  If you intend to leave tomorrow I will have the dinner ready at as early an hour as possible.  If you decide not to leave tomorrow as I would prefer, as I presume it would be most agreeable to you and your men, that you all come over and take the parting supper with me.

J. Worth

 

 

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 the Correspondence of Jonathan Worth

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The manner in which we spent the Christmas holidays, compared with former ones… #cw150

Game Point, Va, Jan 1, 1862

Mr. AJ Proffit

Dear Brother,

            These lines will inform you that yours of the 23 December was gladly received on yesterday morning, and I hasten to reply.  I had been expecting to have received letters from you or some of my friends on Lewis Fork for two or three weeks but as I did not receive any I wrote A.N. a few days ago which I hope he will get.  I am unable to interest you on the War question, as there is but little news in this part ofVirginia.  We seldom get an opportunity of firing upon the Yankee steamers, but when one approaches within 3 or 4 miles of our Battery we are shure to give them a sign by which they may know that we are yet a living and wide awake.

            I would have been glad to have taken Christmas wish for you, but as some 12 or 15 of the company had gone home on sick furlough, I made no application for a furlough, but thought I would content myself until those who were absent returned.  The manner in which we spent the Christmas holidays, compared with former ones, presented a contrast that is more easily imagined than described but we spent the day or at least a portion of it quite agreeably, particularly while seated at the dinner table partaking of an excellent Chicken Pie, etc, etc, which had been prepared by mess no. 5.

            On yesterday morning, one of my messmates and I took a small row boat and went up Aquia Creek about four miles, where we called at a private house and took dinner and bought some articles for the mess and returned to camp a little before night.  I tell you we enjoyed our trip very much, as we have not, until lately, been allowed such privileges, since we have been station at this point.  I would have been glad if you could have been there to have taken a New Years dinner with us, as we dined upon a fatTurkeywell baked and other delicaces, but I would advise you to stay on Lews Fork, at least until spring.

            I was glad to hear that thoseEast Tennesseeanswere being compelled to walk up to the chalk.  The only thing to be regretted concerning those traitors is that they had not been hanged long since.  Tell mother that I received her letter long since and answered it immediately after its arrival.

            I will soon close for the present by informing you that I am quite well at present, hoping these lines will find you all well.  Please give my compliments to all inquiring friends. T.C.Landand TC Miller say they would have written you long since, had they rec’d answers to the ones they sent you.  They say they are not sent you a letter as you supposed.

            I remain

            W.H. Proffit

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 the Proffit Family Papers, Southern Historical Collection,University ofNorth Carolina atChapel Hill.

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