I wish Mr. Henry could stay at home to attend to his business but he has other business that perhaps is of more importance. #cw150

Saturday 16^th [May 1863]

I finished the other little sock tonight. Rather cool tonight & last night too. Old Jim & Bill Knight got home last night with the bacon. The trash of Bent creek pressed five hundred lbs. of it. The women did it. They paid 50 per lb. for it. Old Jim Knight brought the money home. I wish Mr. Henry could stay at home to attend to his business but he has other business that perhaps is of more importance. He wrote me that he would go to Columbia before he came back to get hands to work at his gun stock contract. Too many irons in the fire. Some will surely burn up. It has always been so & ever will I reckon. He carries on too much business for his means.

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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Our Generals who have access to General Lee are beginning to gain a great deal of confidence in him #cw150

Camp near Richmond,Va., June 25th, 1862

My dear Wife

I commenced this with the intention to write you a long and egotistical letter.  The same day I received your letter saying that Sarah had gone home, I received one from David giving me the intelligence… that Sister James could remain in this world but a few hours.  She had six doctors all of whom had given her up.  What a terrible blow it will be to brother Robert, for she has been to him a noble wife and to her children an irreparable mother.  She has certainly done in a worldly point of view at least her duty as a wife and mother….  What in the world will brother Robert do with all his little children?  Charles and Georgia had just gotten out of danger and Bob was still very sick.  I wish you were there—not with the children—to help him, but it is too late now.  Sister Patience I know has done all any woman could do.  David wrote that he had suffered very much with a cough since I had seen him.  Do you know honey that I am fully impressed with the belief that he cannot live long and then there will be poor Mary, with her cross old Aunt and worse brother.  I shudder when I think on the consequences to her.

I am getting on finely.  My Brigade has improved very much.  I shall be able to take in the fight about 2700, and as we are preparing for marching orders which we expected tonight, it may not be long before we have to try it.  It seems to me that we can with the favor of God expect a most decided victory.  We will probably join Jackson who is now supposed to be near Richmond ready to fall on McClellan’s rear. Jackson is undoubtedly near but no one knows where he is or when he came.  It has been done in the most miraculous and secret manner.  Our Major Generals know nothing of his whereabouts, only we all feel convinced that he will be about when the battle comes off which must be in a very few days.

Our Generals who have access to General Lee are beginning to gain a great deal of confidence in him.  Everything, darling around Richmond looks bright.  McClellan has undoubtedly lost a great many men since he leftYorktown, and he is crying very lustily for more.  We are getting reinforcements from all directions… intent upon making this one battle decisive.  We have, I am convinced, more men to bring into the fight tomorrow than he has and when that is the case—unless a miracle should be performed in his favor—what must the result be but victory.  May God give it to us, is my nightly prayer.  I want one grand battle and have the thing settled.  Some of the Northern papers begin to talk as if they thought a defeat to their arms here would not only be disastrous but decisive of the contest.  They begin to fear for McClellan instead of exulting over our fall and are crying that if he should be allowed to be defeated here that Secretary of War E.M. Stanton and his crew should be made to suffer for it.  I have written for Sam Ashe to ask him to take the Adjutant Generalcy in this Brigade, but have not heard from him.

You wish to know all about me these days.  It can be said in a few words.  I am about as when you used to know only I am less dignified, and more lazy as I do not get up before 7 A.M. I have really but little to do myself, having so many others to do for me.  The only fear is I shall become more helpless and too grand in my notions to retire to a small far after the war.  The scheme I have not yet given up, and unless they bribe me by giving at least a Colonelcy in the Regular Army there is some danger of their losing me.  I am sick of soldiering and especially the fighting part, particularly as I have no desire to be killed.  My uniform is very unassuming, so much so that I always have to tell the pickets that I am a General before they will let me pass.  The next coat, however, shall be more stylish.  I was glad to get any when I got this.

If Frank should by any means get away from his present position I shall always have a place for him.  My staff as yet being very moderate, only one volunteer aide, and he likely to leave at any moment.  Do you know any real clever fellow who is desirous of serving his country at his own expense?

Would you believe it, we pay 50 cts. Per lb. for all the mutton we get and 50 cts. Per quart for milk.  We concluded as soon as we found out what we had to pay for the latter that we would not encourage any such rascality altho’ a Mrs. Christian did practice it.  Now really I have told you about all I know of myself unless it is, Honey, that I know I am falling off in order to be a Christian.

As I now have to attend to some business I must close.  You must not feel uneasy if you do not hear from me for several days as it will be impossible for me to write.

My love to all.  May God bless and protect us.

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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a war in which we women must show the men that we are their equals—nay their superiors! #cw150

May 2, 1862

This is sad work, this continued leaving & coming back home restless, unsatisfied.  I feel as tho I held in my hands only broken threads, thwarted plans.  I care not to begin anything, as I may leave home at any moment & be disappointed in finishing it.  My time seems like the fragments of a broken mirror; it reflects nothing perfectly.  The servants feel the same.  They get out of the way of their duties, neglect, forget them.  This causes me to carry a double portion of that “Jacob” ladder by which Jean Paul says “men ascend to heaven,” i.e., Household cares.  I thank you Richter for the word.  I thank you for the perception which enabled you to see what a drag it sometimes is on woman to “lug about” the ladder upon which man plants his foot & ascends to the intellectual heaven of peace in ignorance of the machinery which feeds his daily life–& yet it is not always so.  Rightly managed, prayerfully taken, women also may ascend, using each of their petty cares as an advance toward that “heaven” which is gained by self conquest, self abnegation.

Patrick feels so uncertain about his Battalion, fearful that the Conscript Act will render useless the labour of the past two months, yet hoping that the Sec will be regulated by the principles of justice & fair dealing & transfer those Companies which he gave him leave to re-enlist into the Cavalry service.

This Conscript Act is a hard one.  It breaks faith with the twelve months men, which I suppose was in a measure necessary, but surely not in so odious a way as this law does.  It commences too young too.  The President himself has said that it is like “grinding seed corn” to allow boys to enter the army & yet he calls for all over eighteen.  From 20 to 40 would I think have been a better limitation, but then Mrs. Edmondston you are not of the Cabinet.  Well, it is unsettled & uncertain business & this terrible fall ofNew Orleans—coming so unexpectedly as it does—makes it the harder to bear.

What a blow it is to us, Sugar gone,TexasBeef & wool for the food & clothing of the Army, leather, Horses! all lost to us by criminal conduct somewhere.

Now indeed begins the war of “Endurance”—a war in which we women must show the men that we are their equals—nay their superiors!  “Endurance.”  Let me write the name of my commander.  Endurance!  Patience!  Cheerfulness!  Faith!—these be the Captains under whose banners I enlist!  God grant that under them my country men may all be united into a glorious band, a band which can Die but be disgraced never!  Then shall we never be conquered, never be subdued.

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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We get plenty of bacon, flour, and crackers when we are marching #civilwar150

Gordonsville, April 22^nd 1862

Dear Parents,

            It is with pleasure that I again have the opportunity of writing to you to let you know that I am well and hope that you are the same.  We left the Rhapphannock River last Friday and came to this place.  On last Thursday we went on picket down to the river and there was a post on top of a hill about 400 yards from the river that I with 4 others occupied where we could see across the river for a long distance.  Nothing could be seen until Friday evening when we heard the report of a cannon and in a moment or two we seen a bomb-shell burst down the river about half a mile where our reserve was at.  The shell was well aimed as it burnt an area of 40 feet in and around a crowd of persons among them Captain Wharton and others of our company.  At that our guns opened on them and there was a fierce cannonading for about an hour.  I could see the flank of every cannon that fired on both sides but none of the shells or balls came near me, but our batteries silenced them.

            Where we’ll go and when we will leave here I don’t know for the last three days we had very bad weather.  We get a plenty to eat and have tents again.  In fact we are doing tolerable well.  It is my opinion that we will have a chance at the Yankees here before long and I don’t care how soon.

            There is no news of importance as I know of.  The next opportunity you have I want you to send me a pair of drawers, a pair of pants, and socks.  I am in no hurry of them thought but I’ll need them before long.  I’ll let you know what we get at present.  We get plenty of bacon, flour, and crackers when we are marching, sugar and salt and other little things like rice & etc.  Give my love to all the children and Mag and Ann and all.  So, be sure and write soon.  I remain

Your affectionate son

A.A. Clewell

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 Celwell Letters, North Carolina State Archives.

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Charles Hickerson is in love as usual with some girl in Kinston #cw150

Camp Ransom

Near Kinston

April 19^th 1862

 Dear Frank

            I wish you to write me immediately and let me know how Ben is and when you think he will be able to return to camp.  I wish his health to be entirely restored before he comes.  I think there will be no advance of the enemy on this road.  I regret very much leaving the army in Va.  It will be exceedingly hot here this summer, and nothing to eat but bread & bacon.  If Crumpler passes through Wilkesboro on his return to camp send me 2 pair of red gloves size 8 ½ and some towels.  I wish you would have me 2 pair of drawers made by Ann Hines if you can get any suitable material.  Let them be made of the size of some of my old ones you will find in my wardrobe.

            How did the draft fall upon our peoples?  The conscription Act I think is the very thing for the occasion. It will bring into the service many men who have been shirking the cause.  I suppose you have heard of the fight at Corinth.  We have news here that there is a fight going on at or near Richmond.  Our troops so far from home are prepared for the enemy.  There will be much fighting during the next 2 months.  I think we will have but little to do here on this line.  Our horses are improving rapidly and soon we will commence picket duty.  Lt. Col Robinson of Spruills Cavalry, who was said to have been killed in a skirmish some days since.  He was only wounded and taken prisoner.

            I spent a day with Col Barber a few days ago.    He is quite well and seems quite pleasant with the service.  He has gotten over his pneumonia in regards to himself.  Charles Hickerson is in love as usual with some girl in Kinston.  The same Charles of old.  Write me soon and direct to Kinston Lenoir Cty NC.  I have recd my commission for lt. Col.  My love to Carrie and tell her to kiss the baby for me.

Yours truly,

J.B. Gordon

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 James G. Hackett Papers, North Carolina State Archives.

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Account of released Hatteras Island Confederate POW #cw150

 Colonel Bradford.

            This returned Hatteras prisoner met with a cordial reception from his many friends on his arrival here yesterday.  In reply to congratulations on his looking well, he stated that the rations served out to them were the common army rations, by adding to which $3.50 a week, each, they lived very well.  The numerous prisoners formed a highly intellectual society, and they were allowed to get the New York and Boston papers daily.  By some of the officers of the enemy, (of the regular service,) they were treated with great politeness, and even kindness.  He confirms the statements heretofore made of the utterly defenseless condition of the Hatteras garrison, whose balls fell short of the enemy about 500 yards, whilst their shells, at the rate of 30 a minute, fell within the 60 feet square enclosed by the walls of the fort.  The enemy had obtained the exact range of the fort, so as to place these shells with perfect accuracy.  After getting on board the enemy’s ships, surprise was expressed to our officers that they had held out so long, in a contest that could by no possibility have any other termination than in a surrender.

            It will be recollected that the Hatteras garrison were surrendered distinctly as “prisoners of war,” a point of great significance and which had not previously been conceded during the war.  Col. Bradford states that Gen. Butler refused to grant this, but that Com. Stringham consented.  Without this concession, the fight would have been renewed, at all hazards.

            On one other point the Colonel’s information is important and interesting.  It will be recollected that the enemy landed between 300 and 400 men on the first evening of the engagement, who took possession of Fort Clark, which a portion of our troops had been forced to evacuate.  Col. Bradford states that a reconnoitering party was sent that night, who reported the force of the enemy thus landed at 1400, about double the whole force on our side.—Fay. Observer.

Source: The Greensborough Patriot, January 16, 1862 found on Confederate Newspaper Project

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