The following letters were written by Calvin T. Dewese (1837-1916), the eldest son of John Allison Dewese (1811-1870) and Mary Ann Sloan (1819-1911) of Mecklenburg, North Carolina. Calvin enlisted on 8 July 1862 in Co. K, 56th North Carolina Infantry. He was with his regiment for most of the war, except for an illness in the fall of 1862. He was taken prisoner at Fort Stedman on 25 March 1865 and confined at Point Lookout, Maryland, until taking the Oath of Allegiance on 4 June 1865.
Calvin was married to Martha Ann Barnett (1840-1906) early in 1862. Together the couple had at least twelve children born between 1862 and 1889. After the war, Calvin returned to farming on Long Creek in Mecklenburg county.
Letter 1
Camp Badger
Wilmington, North Carolina
September 30, 1862
Dear father,
I received your letter last Friday that you wrote the 21st inst. and I was sorry to hear little Johnny was sick. I am very unwell at this time. I was excused from duty yesterday and today I am able to go about yet. I do hope that I will not get past going for I tell you, it is a hard place for sick to get along. It is hard enough for well people to get along let alone the sick. I do hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you all enjoying good health.
I suppose you will hear before you get this letter about the frolic we had with the Yankee bomb shells. We were out on drill when they commenced. They whizzed by us pretty strong for a while. I don’t think there was a shell came closer than a hundred yards. I tell you, they can boom us out of here whenever they get ready but I tell you they don’t want it for it is my belief that they keep up a regular trade at Wilmington as they did before the war commenced. There is a vessel comes in every few weeks. They call it the English steamer but it is nothing but a Yankee vessel. If you will go to Wilmington, you will find it too for every store is full of anything you call for. It is there new and fresh. They have fooled about until they have got the yellow fever in Wilmington about right. If it gets in the army, it will soon put an end to their fighting.
We have a great deal of sickness in camp at this time. It don’t matter what ales a man, he has to take the same medicine & it will be before long they will have nothing to give at all. The medicine they have got now is that old that it is of no account. When a man gets sick here, he just has to wear it off.
I must come to a close as I don’t feel able to write. Tell all the friends and neighbors howdy for me & tell them to write to me & let me know what they are all about. And tell Mother I think she might write to me some time. Tell Sarah & Mag to write to me soon. I would like to get a letter from home every day for I don’t expect to get home until the war is over—if I live—for they will keep a man here when he is of no service to them at all & so I have give up to stay & put up with it the best I can.
So nothing more at present but hope to remain your affectionate son until death. Yours truly, — Calvin T. Dewese
to John A. Dewese
Letter 2
Camp Clingman
Goldsboro, North Carolina
October 26, 1862
Miss Margaret C. Dewese,
Dear sister, I received a few lines from you that you sent in George’s letter and I was glad to hear from you one time more. I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time. It is the first time you have ever wrote me a letter with anything yet. It appeared to me like you have forgot me or don’t care, I don’t know which, but I hope you will be better for the time to come. You must consider my condition & sympathize with me in my trouble. You have more chance to write than I have.
There was three of your troublesome conscripts got here at last. They fetched all our things safe. We got a fine mess—all our mess got something…it made a fine pile.
This is a very wet day. We are all huddled up in our tents [paper missing]…I am glad our boys came for this is my week to cook and it saved me doing so for two or three days.
Dear sister, I long for the time to come when we shall have war no more and [we can] return home once more to see our friends and connections. I am truly tired of seeing the way people has to be punished. They can’t get to go home. If a man does happen to get home & stays one minute over his time, he has to carry a log for a week. A private can’t do anything but take care for the officers. They can go home when they please & stay as long as they please. They have got about a dozen of men carrying logs now. There is a time coming, I hope, when we will get out of this place of bondage, when we can be free & do as we please as well as them.
I have not much to write so [I will] come to a close at this time by requesting you to write as soon and as often as you can. Nothing more at present but hope to remain your affectionate brother until death. — Calvin T. Dewese
Letter 3
Rocky Mount
Edgecombe county, North Carolina
January 7th 1863
Mrs. Mary A. Dewese,
Dear Mother, I now embrace this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this tie & hoping when these few lines reach you, the may find you enjoying the same blessing. The company is generally well. B. A. Wartham is gone to the hospital at Petersburg. We left him there as we come from Franklin and I have not heard from him since.
We are expecting an attack here or at Goldsboro. We were the first here. We have been reinforced with three other regiments since we came & expecting more yet. Several regiments has passed by here going to Goldsboro—infantry, artillery, and cavalry. One regiment of cavalry come today. I expect we will have a big fight or a big run, one or the two.
The Yanks is reinforcing at Kinston every day by the thousands. They are determined to take Weldon and Goldsboro. By doing that, they will cut off communication from Richmond. Then they will stick it to us about right. But I hope they may not get there ends accomplished. I long to see the war come to a close some way soon so that I may get home once more and enjoy the blessings of a family fireside. You don’t know how bad I want to see you all. It is awful to think how we have to be parted but I still live in hopes that the scale will turn some day. I shall be satisfied if I only can get home safe and sound so I can enjoy myself when I get there.
Nothing [more] at present. Write soon adn let me know how you are getting along. Give love to all the children. Yours truly, — Calvin T. Dewese
Letter 4
Rocky Mount
Edgecombe county, North Carolina
January 27th 1863
Mr. John A. Dewese,
Dear father, I take this opportunity of informing you that I am not very well at this time. I have been very unwell ever since the regiment left here. It will be two weeks day after tomorrow since it left here. I heard from them once since they left. They were at L___ville then and I have not heard from them since. I cannot tell where they are now or what they are doing. I suppose they have not got in any fight yet or I would have heard of it before this time. They have had a hard time of it. It has been raining nearly every day since they left here and been very cold too.
I took sick this day was two weeks ago and I was left behind and I am here yet. I been pretty bad off with headache and fever but I am a great deal better now, I have not heard from George. I don’t know whether he is well or not. I told [him] when he left to write to me and let me know how he was getting [on] but he never has done it yet. I can’t tell what is wrong. I expect they will come back before long.
They are looking for another big fight at Fredericksburg. The Yankees is advancing there strongly. I expect they [will] fool about till [they] get us in a fight yet. Paul [Fletcher] Faison wants to get into a fight more than a bull dog. He is our Colonel, if you did not know him by the name of Paul. I can tell [you] he is a particular sad case if you did not know it.
I sent a box of clothing to Charlotte by Express in [care] of John R. Alexander. I wrote him a letter and told him to take it up to his house and let you know so you could get it. Me and George, James Hill, M. D. Alexander, J. C. Bell, Allison Christenbury all has our clothes in it. I suppose it [will] go safe. If it don’t, I will get pay for it. I have got a receipt for it on the railroad company. Nothing more at present. Write soon and let me know how you all are getting along.
Yours truly, — Calvin T. Dewese
To John A. Dewese
Letter 5
Topsail Sound, New Hanover county, North Carolina
March 8th 1863
Mr. John A. Dewese,
Dear father I now take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time & hoping when these few lines comes to hand, they may find you enjoying the same blessings of God. I have not received a letter from you for some time. I have wrote two or three letters to you & the rest of the family & have got no answer as yet. I don’t know what is the matter with the mail that I do not get any letters from none of you. I have not got a letter from none of you in six weeks except from Martha.
There is a large trade going on in Wilmington. I left Rocky Mount 24th of last month & landed in Wilmington 27th & stayed there until the 28th. There was eight steamers there said to be from England. The brought in a large supply of goods of various kinds—a lot of cotton, bacon, calico and many other things to tedious to mention. I know not where they came from but I have my own opinion about where they came from. I think they came from Yankeedom. They have been coming in there ever since the war commenced carrying off cotton by the wholesale. There is no danger of the Yankees taking Wilmington while they keep up trade with them.
Wilmington is made up with nothing but Jews and they keep as fresh stores I ever they did & [ ] while the poor [soldier] gets but $11 a month and living on half rations at that. And they say they are going to reduce our rations to quarter rations. If they do that, I guess, if they do, our [ ] will feel very lank. They say the provisions aren’t too good. If that be the case, I think the war will have to stop before long.
I must close. Nothing [more] at present but remain your affectionate son until death, — Calvin T. Dewese
To John A. Dewese
[in a different hand]
March the 9th, 1863
Dear Father, as Calvin was writing I thought I would write you a few lines as I have a little time this morning. I am well at this time and doing the best I can though it is a poor do. I have become so that I don’t care where I am so I get plenty to eat. I expect when the war ends that we will be used to it, that we can’t come home and we will have to join the regular army to get to stay away from home but they had better not end the war if they don’t want me to go home.
We get six biscuits a day. If we continue to get that much, we won’t starve. Besides that we get a small ration of bacon. We are faring better than we have done for some time though times are hard. I try to do the best I can and always try to look on the bright side of things. We have saw no hard times yet compared with the times that some have had since the war commenced.
I have no particulars to write at this time so I will have to close for this time. Direct to Wilmington, N. C., 56th Regt. N. C. T., Co. K, Gen. Ransom’s Brigade. Write soon. Nothing more.
— G. B. Dewese
Letter 6
Kinston, North Carolina
April 17th [1863]
Dear Brother,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time & I hope when those few lines comes to hand they will find you enjoying the same blessing of good [health].
I have nothing of importance to write [paper torn]…for you that came here yesterday & I thought I would write a few lines & send it to you. We have been under marching orders since yesterday morning but we have not gone yet & I suppose we will not go at this time.
The enemy were advancing but they have gone back. I suppose we will await further orders. The 49th Regiment has gone over the river. William Black has come to the company. He brought me a letter from home. They are all well. I have nothing more to write this time. I want you to write. Get someone to write for you if you are not able & let me know how you are getting along. I hope how soon you may get well and return to the company.
Yours truly, — Calvin T. Dewese
Letter 7
Camp of the 56th N. C. Regiment Troops
Ivor Station near Black Water [River]
Southhampton county, N. C.
June 19th 1863
Mr. D[avid] R[ankin] Alexander, 1
Dear brother [in-law], I take the opportunity of dropping you a few [lines] to inform [you] that I am well & as hearty as I ever was & I trust these lines may find you enjoying the same great blessing of God. I suppose you think that I have forgot to write to you but you need not think hard of me for not writing to you for I have not had time to write. We have been over about [ ] for the last month. I couldn’t get time to do anything.
I have seen some pretty rough times since I left home but nothing to compare with what you have seen though I thought once that I was obliged to be killed or wounded, one or the other. I went across the enemy’s fire [with]in fifty yards of them while they poured one volley after another. The balls flew thick all around me in every direction. I walked a while & run some & crawled som. Any way I would go, it seemed like they would hit me anyhow. But thanks be to Almighty [God], I come through safe & I hope & trust that I may never get into another such a scrape again. If I have to fight, I want them to stay in my front & then I can shoot at them all day if there ain’t but one place to watch. But I can tell you when they get to shooting at my face, and the other end too, both at the same time, I want to get away from there in quick time if there is any chance at all. 2
All is quiet on Black Water. Our brigade is strung along Black Water about 20 miles. we send scouts over the river between here and Suffolk. They gather a few once in a while, killing some & capturing some. There is nothing but scouts a pillaging the country and destroying everything they can. There is not a chicken to be found between here and Suffolk. Our boys that has been out say that the woods is lined with chicken feathers. The reports of today say that they are fighting at Petersburg. I don’t know whether it is true or not. I suppose that the Yanks are determined at two points—that is Fredericksburg and Vicksburg. They was still fighting at Vicksburg the last account I listened to hear of them. They are reinforcing heavily at each point and if they should get Vicksburg, it will sever us [and] I think the war would soon close some way or other.
Well, Rankin, your brother Milas is gone home. Him [and] Henry Starns started last Monday. I suppose they are home by this time. You will be apt to see him before we come back. You must let me know if you think he has changed any since you saw him. I suppose if nothing happens, I will get home in 4 or 6 weeks. There is 7 married men to go yet that came out with the company. I would be glad to get home while you are at home but I will have to go whenever I get the chance. I do wish the thing was settled so we all could go home to stay with our friends where our affection lies is my prayer.
Write soon. Give my love to sister & all my friends. I remain yours truly, — Calvin T. Dewese
To D. Rankin Alexander
1 David Rankin Alexander (1834-1864) was married to Sarah J. Dewese, Calvin’s sister. David served in Co. C, 37th North Carolina Infantry, until he was wounded in 1861 and was reported at home recuperating in the last four months of the year. After he was returned to the regiment he rose in rank to sergeant but was killed in action on 3 May 1864.
2 The fighting Calvin describes in this paragraph refers to the Second Battle of Gum Swamp near Kinston, North Carolina. It was during Maj. Gen. Daniel Hill’s campaign to recapture New Bern in the spring of 1863. It began in late March 1863 when Brig. Gen. Ransom’s brigade was ordered to Kinston to guard the town, and they arrived on April 2nd. The 24th NC Regiment was sent to guard the railroad bridge at Weldon. The 56th NC Regiment was sent to several locations in the vicinity of Trenton, Moseley Creek on the Neuse Road, and to Gum Swamp, where they had a sharp skirmish on April 28th, which was First Gum Swamp. On May 22nd, the 25th NC Regiment and the 56th NC Regiment were surprised and virtually surrounded by five Union regiments at Gum Swamp (Jones County); they were forced to fight their way out or flee into the swamp. More than 160 men of the 56th NC Regiment were captured. It was not a proud moment for the regiment.
Letter 8
[Note: The following letter is actually written to Calvin from his sister Sarah J. (Dewese) Alexander, the wife of David Rankin Alexander of the 37th North Carolina Infantry.]
[Mecklinberg county, North Carolina]
August 28, 1863
Dear Brother,
I take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well at this time and hope should these few lines reach you, they may find you enjoying the same blessing from Almighty God. I have nothing of importance to write to you. I received your letter last Tuesday and was glad to hear that you were well but sorry to hear that furloughs are stopped again. We have all been looking for you every day for some time but look in vain. I hope that you will get home before long now as you are the next to come. Live in hopes and never despair. I long to see the day when you will get home and the sound of war will cease, never to be heard any more.
Rankin is lying sick in the hospital in Lynchburg. It is nearly two weeks since I heard from him. I cannot tell you how he is now. He is thought to be better the last account. I long to hear from him. If he is sick much longer, I think I will try to go or get someone to go after him. It is hard for us to be separated from our friends in health and it is worse in sickness, but it is the Almighty will and we will have to submit to it. He knows what is best and if we look to Him and put our trust in Him, he will be with us in every time of trouble.
Father’s folks are all well. Martha A. was here a few minutes yesterday evening. She and Lizzy are well. The weather is very dry now but I think we will have rain before long. Our crop is looking very well and if you were here today, I could give you a mess of sweet potatoes but any day you come will do as well. I want you to write to me soon and often as you can and give me all the news. Nothing more but hope to remain your affectionate sister, — Sarah J. Alexander
to Calvin T. Dewese
Letter 9
Wilkes county, North Carolina
October 6, 1863
Mr. John A. Dewese,
Dear father, I take the opportunity of informing you that I am well at this time and I hope these lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. I have scarcely had time to write to you since I came back to the company. I have been scouting nearly all the time over the mountains & lying around houses to catch the men when they would go in to draw rations and have caught a great many and killed and crippled some and a great many are coming in and giving up. But still there is a great many out yet and it is likely they will be out for a long time to come yet with a considerable change. It is pretty hard marching over the hills and rocks but I believe I would rather stay here as in the army. We get more to eat than we would if we were there.
We are 12 miles above Wilksboro at Covenant Church [with]in about 7 miles from the Blue Ridge. We caught a man today with a woman’s dress on. That’s the way they undertake to conceal themselves from being caught.
I must close. It is getting dark. Nothing more at present but hope to remain your affectionate son till death, — C. T. Dewese
To John A. Dewese
Letter 10
Covenant Church
Wilkes county, North Carolina
October 8th 1863
Dear Mother,
I will write a few lines to let you know that I am well & still in the land of the living. And I hope these lines may find you well.
I had a hard time to get to my company. I thought once that I would never get to the company or see any of my friends anymore. When the deserters caught me, I did not know but what they would kill me but they kept me there under guard & turned me over. It was two weeks from [when] I left home till I got to the company. We have pretty hard duty to do here but not much fighting to do. We get plenty to eat such as chickens, cabbage, beans, and honey & hardly ever pay anything for it. The people are very angry at us but it can’t be helped. We have to have something to eat & we can’t work for nothing & board ourselves. And if they don’t want us to eat up what they have, they will have to give up and let leave the country. If we have to stay here all winter, there will not be any left for the women and children to eat. I don’t see what they mean. Some of them say they will starve to death before they will ever come in and go to the army.
Nothing more at present but hope to remain yours affectionately, — Calvin T. Dewese
To Mary A. Dewese
Letter 11
[Note: In the following letter, Calvin is referring to Maj. Gen. George A. Picket’s attacked on New Bern at Batchelder’s Creek on February 1, 1864.]
Camp near Weldon, North Carolina
February 12, 1864
Dear father,
It [is] with pleasure that I seat myself to write you a few lines to inform you that I am only tolerable well at this time. I was plagued with a severe diarrhea and sick stomach yesterday but I am better today except a bad cold & caufg but I hope it will wear off in a day or two. George received a letter from you today of the 9th inst. stating you were all getting better. I hope when this reaches you, it may find you well.
We have had pretty rough times since we left High Point. There was 10 days after we left there we were marching or riding on the cars where we could not sleep. We never got to sleep one whole night at a time on the whole route & some nights we did not get to sleep any at all lying in line of battle all the time when we were not advancing. I tell you, I thought it was [ ] times with [ ] the morning of the 1st inst. when the muskets began to rattle and the cannon roar. I was [chased?] for two days that bad I scarcely knew which end I was standing on but it so happened that we escaped unhurt. I am as nigh Newbern as I want to be unless it gets in better fix for visiting than it is at this time.
I have nothing of interest to write for the present. There is different reports in camp about the changes of the times but I look at them as I always have done to be lies & it is no use to waste time & paper with them. All I can say is of no use for me to trouble myself about anything. I have to stay in the war till it’s over if I live & will have to make myself easy. Your affectionate son till death, — C. T. Dewese
Letter 12
Camp near Weldon, N. C.
March 18th 1864
Mr. C. F. Dewese,
Dear brother, it is with much pleasure that I seat myself this evening to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time & I hope when these lines reach you, they may find you enjoying the same blessing. I think the time long to get a letter from you as you have nothing else to do. I think you might drop me a few lines [once in] awhile if only to let me know what you think of yourself in this time of war and trouble. I hear that you are having many diverse engagements and gaining many glorious victories without the loss of a man. I am glad to hear that you came out victorious. I will advise to stand your ground as long as you can for it is much better there [at home] than here.
I suppose you will have to come to the war before long or go somewhere else but if you can get into any work that will keep you out of this horrible place, I want you to do it—any place but to be in the ranks of an army. I would rather work for nothing and board myself if I could get to stay anywhere near home than to be here. I would like to see you and be with you and would be very glad of your company at any time, but I never want to see you in bondage as i am at this time. Two of us are enough and two too many to be starved, frozen or melted to death just as they please to have it fighting for that—that we have not got. And if we fight five years, we will never get. I think you will get clear if you will fool them a little while longer for I think it will surely wind up this spring or summer. I am in hopes it will anyhow, so we can all get home to live in peace once more.
I must close for this time. Write soon. Nothing more but remain your affectionate brother. — C. T. Dewese
Letter 13
Camp near Weldon, North Carolina
March 28th 1864
Dear father,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself to inform you that I am well at this time & I hope these lines may find you well. I received your kind letter last Saturday night through the care of G. B_____ and also a fine box of provisions which was very acceptable in this unholy place of suffering & want. Our bread baskets were so empty that we have very well finished it already. I am thankful that I have friends somewhere [even] if they are a great distance from me that I can get a good bite from them once in a while [even] if it ain’t often. It makes me feel like I could live when I do get it. What we get is so rough that a person can almost share it. Digesting it makes such a fuss. If they [ ] on such as they have been doing lately on as rough diet, I think we will have to get new digesting machines or fetch the old one or we will see holes in a few weak ones. Our meat is very good but the quantity is not sufficient to satisfy the appetite that I have at this time. We are drawing the [ ] meat. I suppose they have no other to give us. The government meat, I think, is done and therefore the people at home have to board the army at their expense and it looks like the Confederacy might get rich when they so many hands working for nothing and boarding themselves.
I have nothing of interest to write. The army are quiet on both sides as far as I can learn but I dread the opening of the spring campaign. I fear there will be a good deal of fighting to do shortly but I hope this war may be settled without much more fighting although I don’t see any prospect of its stopping soon.
I will close for the present. Give mu love to the family and tell them to write. Nothing more but remain your affectionate son, — C. T. Dewese
to J. A. Dewese
Letter 14
Camp near Weldon Railroad
April 3rd 1864
Miss Margaret C. Dewese,
Dear sister, with much pleasure I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well & hoping when these lines reach you they may find you well. The health of the company in general is good except one case of small pox. John Sloan was sent to the hospital yesterday. He was broke out pretty bad with them. He caught them from the Yankees while guarding them in South Carolina. I look for more of them to have them for they said there was plenty in every crowd that they had taken off. If they all take them, we will have a [ ] time among us but I hope they will not get spread any farther. We have bought enough times here without having the small pox to make it worse. I have had no chance to catch them as I have not been near John since he came back.
Well, Mag, our way of living seems to change fast. We still get our meal with the brand in it but our meal is very good. But the quantity is not sufficient to satisfy the appetite. We can get nothing to buy here at all. The country is gleaned for 10 miles around our camp of everything but that we would desire to eat if there was any to get. It would take a one horse wagon to haul out enough money to get one chicken. So we might as well be without it as to drive it for all the good it was. Sometimes I wish there was no money so these high headed fools couldn’t get their fists stuffed…then I think this cruel war would stop.
Brother George is guarding the bridge at Weldon. He will be there for several days. He has had a rough time since he went there. It has been rainy nearly every day for a weak & snowing together. It rained & snowed yesterday all day. The weather has moderated today a little but is still cloudy & very cool for the 3rd of April. It is cold enough to snow yet. I hope if another winter sets in that we may all be out of this cruel place of bondage & trouble & wickedness & be where we can converse with our friends & enjoy the blessings of peace as we once did. But Oh! when will that time come—we cannot tell. It may come soon and it may never come. But we can look forward for a better day…I can’t see no sign of peace now more than I did 12 months ago. The soldiers are in good spirits owing to the resumption of furloughs. There was several sent in today for the regiment. The men are flying around rapidly getting ready to go. I wish it was my time to go. I would fly around too.
— C. T. Dewese
Letter 15
Gaston, North Carolina
May 4th 1864
Dear Father,
With pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time & I hope these may find you enjoying the same blessing. The health of the company is very good what is here. I have no news of our brigade more than you have heard. There is various reports about their movements. It is reported that Washington surrendered without the fire of a gun. The latest news we have, our troops are advancing on New Bern twelve thousand strong. They moved within four miles of the place Tuesday last. I suppose they are fighting by this time. I am glad that I am out of it although it may not be so long but I want to putt off as long as I can. Our boys have saw a hard time since we left them but they came out well to what I expected to hear.
James Sasseman passed here a few days ago going to Raleigh hospital wounded in the right arm. He went through all the fight safe and was wounded accidentally the day after the fight. There was only one man wounded in our company. That was John Strider from Randolph. He was wounded in the leg between the foot and knee. It was so badly mangled it had to be amputated.
I don’t care how long they keep us here while they are doing so much fighting. I suppose there will be no more furloughs signed until they get settled again. I hear no word on any prisoners coming in & I can’t say how long we will stay here. We may be ordered away in a few days & we may stay a good while. I don’t care how long we stay if it is till the war is over. We are on the bank of the Roanoke river where we can get as many fish as we want. If I had the salt to save them, I could send you a mess every day but I have not the salt to spare & I reckon you will have to do without the fish.
I suppose you are done planting. Come over tomorrow & spend the day with us & we will have a big mess. Bring mama and the children along too & we’ll all feast together. I must stop my foolishness & all so close my letter for I have got clear out of anything to write. Give my love to all the family and all of you write to me. Don’t wait for me to write for my chance is very slim to write to all my friends. It is two weeks today since I left home & not one letter have I got yet. I begin to feel like I was lost when I can’t hear from home. Nothing more but remain your affectionate son, C. T. Dewese
To F. A. Dewese
Direct to Weldon, North Carolina
Letter 16
Gaston, North Carolina
May 14th 1864
Dear Sister,
I will write you a few lines to let you know where I am. I got here yesterday evening about sundown. They are looking for the Yankees here today. The pickets is firing at the Yankees now and everything that is here is fixing to run. There is about 300 soldiers here at this place. The Yankees could easily take this place if they would but I hope they won’t come yet a while. Part of my company is here and the balance of it is in Virginia. they have been fighting and they have drove the Yankees back and they have [been] reinforced and [are] coming again. I expect they will be here today. If they come today, they will take this place.
We had a big mess of fish for breakfast. We got them four apiece. I want to stay here. We could get plenty of fish to eat but if the Yankees gets near, we won’t get so many fish to eat. I hope they won’t get us.
I have nothing to write for I ain’t very full of news at this time. You must excuse this bad writing for it is the best I can do for these idle fellers, they are tearing about so they won’t let me sit still. You may tell William Cashion’s folks that W. T. C. was at Petersburg fighting the Yankees. They drove them back with heavy loss.
I will close by requesting you to write soon and give me the news. Nothing more at present but remain your affectionate brother till death. — C. F. Dewese
to M. C. Dewese
Letter 17
Camp of the 56th Regt
Near Weldon, N. Carolina
August 10, 1864
Miss Margaret C. Dewese,
Dear sister, it is with pleasure that I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well & I hope these lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. I thought I would of got to go home before I would write again but they have stopped the furloughs & I don’t know when I will get home but I am in hopes that it won’t be long till they will take pity on me and let [me] go. There is no use in the way they are doing—giving furloughs one day and stopping the next. I don’t know how long they will be stopped. I don’t know what they mean. We are lying about doing nothing—only drilling a little. No Yankees anywhere near and I don’t see what they are keeping us from going home for. If they were looking for a fight shortly, I would not think strange of it. They have guards around us every day like we were Yankees. You need not look for me home till you see me coming for I will not know when I am going till I get my furlough in my pocket & get on the cars & then if they get me off, they will have to be smarter than they are.
George is well & improving every day & following his old trade. Him and Andrew Barnette and Dicxk Hough is writing every day—writing their fool letters, first one and then another. They appear to enjoy themselves better than anyone in camp. They are now writing a letter to someone but they take care to not put their names to it.
Well it looks like I had not much to write when I am writing about their little tricks & so too for my mind is so bothered when I sit down to write I can’t do it. No tongue can express or pen describe the way I feel sometimes when I get to studying about the war I have to live. I do hope the time is speedily coming when I shall be released from this awful place of trouble & vexation. I will close for the present. Write soon and often for that is all the pleasure I have is reading letters from home.
Yours till death, — Calvin T. Dewese
Letter 18
Petersburg, Virginia
October 21st 1864
Dear Father,
With pleasure I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well & hope these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing.
I have been at the field hospital most of the time since I came back building chimneys to the hospital tents for the sick. I have not been in the ditches but four nights since I came back. I have not done anything since Tuesday. The doctors took a notion to move the hospital across the river about two miles from this place but they have not moved yet & it is uncertain when they will for they are scared half to death half their time so that they don’t know what to be at for fear the Yankees gets them. They are three miles in the rear now and when they move, they will be five miles away and when a man gets wounded, it will be a half a day before they get anything done for him.
All is quiet on the lines at this time and has been for some time except picket firing & they keep up the usual old sound with their bombs day and night. There is not much shelling on the part of the line that our brigade is on now. Our men and the Yankees get up on the works and talk to each other whenever they feel like a chat. I heard a heavy cannonading late yesterday evening in the direction of Richmond but I have not heard the result. It may of been an artillery duel & no fighting going on. They are looking for a heavy fight before many days. They think the election will bring on a big fight. I hope there is nothing of it. If there does be, I hope to miss it and be spared to meet you all once more.
Give my love to all. I remain your affectionate son, — C. T. Dewese
Letter 19
Petersburg, Virginia
November 26th, 1864
Dear Sister,
I received yours of the 11th a few days ago. I was glad to hear you were well. I am enjoying tolerable health at this time. I am some better than I was a few days ago. I had a very bad cold & a misery in my breast & side. I have got better of that but I have a severe sore on the back of my neck which pains me very much. I have been at the field hospital since the 12th. The doctor has been burning my neck for the last three days with some hot stuff till it was black as a coal. It hurt me last night so I could not sleep but it feels a little better this morning. I think it will get better now in a few days.
We have had pretty rough times for the last week. It has been raining for nearly a week & that [so] cold that we could scarcely stand it for we had not much shelter or much wood to make fire with. Our wood is issued to us & that a very small ration at that. I am sitting over a little handful of wood now—not enough of fire to singe a chicken—and smoking my eyes out so I can scarcely write. Our wood has to be hauled six miles & if we have to stay here all winter, it will be to haul farther than that & I expect the longer we stay, the scarcer it will get. It is not like what we have been used to every winter since we have been out. We always could camp in the woods & build a large fire & be comfortable. It takes a lot of wood for so many men when they have to stay out & take the weather as it comes. There is 13 wagons hauling for our brigade. We get tolerable good rations if they would only give a little more. We get cured meat, and flour, bacon and beef, rice, coffee and sugar. I cannot see where all the provision comes from that it takes to feed the army. I thought it [would] of give out long ago but it looks like it was as plenty yet as ever it was. We get some bacon sometimes looks like it might be 6 years old.
As you are now acquainted with the market at Petersburg, I will give you a list of the prices of a few articles. Apples are fifty dollars per bushel, potatoes, d[itt]o., chickens half grown twelve dollars a head, meal one dollar a pound, flour two dollars a pound, pork $5 a pound, beef $4, eggs $10 per dozen, butter 12 a lb., molasses $32 per gallon, coffee $10 a lb., grown peas $70 dollars a bushel. It takes about 20 dollars to get what a man can eat. It takes as much as one can carry to get a day’s rations & I don’t see any prospect of it being any better soon.
They are conscripting the negroes to drive the wagons and sending the white men to the ditches. I look for the negroes to be put in the ranks with us before the war is over yet if it don’t stop soon. If they do, I shall begin to think about leaving the pen and let them go all out with their negro war. I can’t stand him, he smells too bad.
It is quiet at this time and has been since I came back. They still keep up the usual shelling and sharp shooting. Both armies appear to be lying perfectly quiet. I suppose the fighting is stopped for this winter but it will begin again in the spring as bad as ever of they don’t make peace. I do hope they will come to some kind of a compromise before that time & let us go home if we should be spared to live that long. I hope to be spared to see the end of it and get home to enjoy the blessings of a peaceful fireside.
I will close by requesting you to write soon and often. Give my love to all the family. I remain your loving brother, — C. T. Dewese
Spared & Shared 23 
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