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 have had a very easy time since I left home especially for a soldier. I have never stood guard yet. I have not yet received arms. #cw150

Camp in Berry ville va

Nov 5 1862

Miss RL Proffit

Dear Sister,

I write you a few lines which will inform you that I am moderately well at this time hoping that this may find you all well.  I have no very good news to write you.  I have had a  very easy time since I left home especially for a soldier.  I have never stood guard yet.  I have not yet received arms.  I am vary glad that our Machine has done so well.  I saw AJ & AN a few days ago.  They informed me that they recd a letter from you a day or two before.  I want you to write me how many bushels they have thrashed and what conditions pa rented that farm, what he is doing, how much wheat you have sown, if the mules have mended much etc. etc.  And I want you to be certain to write where W.H. is and if you are going to school.  Inform unkle McAlphins folks that Thomas is well & doing first rate.  Wm West & Smith Cox went to the hospitle at Winchester a few days ago.  I think Wm will get a discharge.  Smith had the measles.  I will close.  If you have any respect for a brother write one just as soon as you receive this.  I remain,

C.L. Proffit

Direct to C.L. Proffit

AP Hills Division Penders Brigade,

Care Col. Ruffin 13^th Reg. NC Troops, Co H

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 Proffit Family Papers, Southern Historical Collections, UNC-Chapel Hill.

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Conscript bill will “nearly ruin this country as there are so many poor men with large families” #cw150

Monday 22^nd [September 1862]

I have been fixing some napkins for Willie today. His bowels are still loose. We have cool mornings & evening & I fear we will soon have frost. J. Cannon & Co. are still thrashing here, the wheat turning out badly. Aunt Patsy Jimison spent the day here. I was glad to see her. I did nothing but knit while she was here & after she left I fixed two napkins.

Tuesday 23^rd [September 1862]

Finished the napkins today. Willie’s bowels getting a little better. The others well.  Mr. Henry went to Asheville today as the mail carrier told us last night that there had been some hard fighting at Harpers Ferry. Our forces have taken it with terrible loss on both sides. The conscript bill has passed one house of congress. If it should bass both houses it will nearly ruin this country as there are so many poor men with larges families of that age.

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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You said you were sick…I am afraid you are not able to write… Little Matthew says tell Papa to come home #cw150

Germanton

August 25^th 1862

My dearest husband,

I received a letter by William Matthews & is the last I have received.  I have not got one for some time before that.  You said you were sick which I was sorry to hear.  I am afraid you are not able to write.  How are you are you any better or worse.  I want to know if you get no better try and come home.  Write if you can and if not get some friend to write it for you.  I am so afraid you will be ordered away from there.  We are all well and getting along very well.

I have sold your tobacco for twenty dollars per hundred to J.A. Bitting.  He will come after it tomorrow.  He sent after it once before but it was too dry to move and it is now a wet spell.  I wrote to him to come after it.  I am looking for the thrashing machine this week and then I will write to you how much wheat we will make not much I think.  I don’t think I think the corn crops will be tolerable.  I think you had do well let your father know about the land and what you will do if you come home next spring.  I don’t think this war will end some time yet.  I have got out of all patience in waiting for it.  Oh my dear husband, I do want to see you!

Do you remember the last time I wrote to you about Dr. Bitting going over the mountain.  He has never been here to stay since he went over to the spring last week to stay and they sent after his folks last Tuesday to come after him.  They say it took ten men to get him in the wagon he came through here about 12 oclock Saturday.  They said he kept turning his head about.  He had not a particle of sense the night they took him home.  He tried to jump out of the window.  He has dropsy and is swollen very much so much so he cannot bend down.  You have seen him the last time.

My dear husband I would be so glad to see you.  It seems to me it has been a year or two since you left.  If there is any way or chance I will try and send you some socks and something to eat.  I do not believe Mr. Vaughn is going at all.  They say the 21^st Reg is lousy.  They are full of body lice.  Do try to keep them off yourself.  You will have to be very carefull to keep clear of them.  Little Matthew says tell Papa to come home.  Write often to your ever true and devoted wife.

Laura E. Myers

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 AC Myers Papers, Duke University Special Collections.

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The Wheat crop in the county is a complete failure #civilwar150

The Wheat crop in this county, espcially in the earlier sorts, is a complete failure; a great many farmers being unable to gather more than one or two bushels to the acre; and in some cases they did not reap the fields at all.
The Hay crop is good, and we have had remarkable fine weather for securing it.
Winter oats are extraordinarily fine. The Spring sowed, however, suffered by rust and the wet weather,so that it failed to be an average yield.
Upon the whole, the crops in this section promise now to fail considerably short of an average — such being the opinion of farmers; though according to our experience they are most apt to see the unfavorable side of the subject.
Salisbury Watchman
Source: Fayetteville Observer, July 3, 1862 as found on www.digitalnc.org

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Fight still going on at Richmond #cw150

Wednesday 2^nd [July  1862]

Cut Willie two skirts off the sheeting today. Hemmed both on machine & but little else. Hanes is gathering cherries every evening. They are ripening fast. Fight still going on at Richmond. The hands are sawing wheat.

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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May 1862: mended up some today & sewed some buttons on some old vests #sewing

Wednesday 28^th [May 1862]

I have mended up some today & sewed some buttons on some old vests. After dinner I had headache very bad. Took a nap. Betsey McKinnish& daughter helped picked wool today. Tena & atheline picked too. It then dried a good deal in the evening but no rain. I got up in time to get out supper. My head a good deal better.

Thursday 29^th [May 1862]

I took a long walk with Mr. Henry. Went through the wehat & came back by the Guy house. There we got some French pinks & set out in the flower yard. We also got some honey suckels & sweet Williams (wild) for the vases & Mr. Henry got some ivey after. We came back from somewhere. It was quite a pleasant tramp to me. After dinner I cut out Fannie a worsted dress & made the sleeves & sewed some on the waist. She wants to wear it Saturday night to Jim Moore’s wedding.  Bets McKinnish & girl & child staid all night. Will finish the wool by tomorrow at dinner. We have several work hands now. A boy by the name of Jones is plowing. Branton & night at the mill dam.

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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a young man has come for Dick Night…a deserter…he says he is not going #civilwar150

Wednesday 2^nd [April 1862]

Stanafer Jones’ wife spent the day here & all the Night’s were in the yard as a young man by the name of Norris has come for Dick Night. He is a deserter from Lt. Col. Coleman’s battalion. They went to take him last Friday night. He says he is not going & Tom Hendrix encourages him in not going. Dick Night married his (Hendrix’s) sister last Sunday evening. Mr. Henry officiating as Esq. We had a very hard rain in the evening. Zona & I took a walk to the mill dam while they were marrying. A good deal of hail feel with heavy thunder. Some men staid here that night. They came to the mill from Transylvania, been buying wheat on New Found.

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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