These two letters were written by John Morehead Edwards (1838-1907) of Chatham county who enlisted as a private in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry on 4 June 1861. He was wounded slightly in 1 July 1862 in the Battle of Malvern Hill and later again on 10 May 1864 in the Battle of Spottsylvania after the regiment had been reorganized as the 32nd North Carolina Infantry.
After the war, John married Sallie Tyson (1854-1930) and together they had at least eight children. He is buried in the Sandy Branch Baptist Church Cemetery at Bear Creek, Chatham county, North Carolina.
Edwards wrote the first letter to his friend, Richard Bray Paschal (1820-1870) who was elected sheriff of Chatham county on 1854 and served six consecutive terms. In addition to his career as sheriff, Paschal served in the House of Delegates in 1865 and North Carolina Senate in 1866. Paschal’s diary is available on-line at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. It includes accounts of Paschal overseeing the trade of enslaved people in Chatham County, a reminder of the duties assigned to the position of sheriff. Place names and people’s names, white and Black, are included in the diary. [See R. B. Paschal Diary Transcript Now Available]
The second letter was written to Paschal’s eldest daughter, Mary Catherine Paschal (1846-1922) who married Stephen Wiley Brewer (1835-1897) in 1867.
Letter 1
Camp Dudley
Yorktown, Virginia
January 26th 1862
Mr. R. B. Paschal,
Dear friend, I again take the opportunity of dropping you a few lines to inform you that I and the rest of my comrades is enjoying good health. I am enjoying as good health as I ever did in life. J[ohn] M. Fox, J[oseph] M. Saunders, and all the rest of the boys is hearty and in fine spirits. There is but little complaint in the camp. J. M. Fox is not fit for duty yet but very hearty.
We have had some very rough weather for the last week—rain, hail, snow, &c. but we have a beautiful day today. We have not got any winter quarters yet and the weather is so bad we cannot do much at them. We fare better than one could imagine in our worn out tents. Unless the weather moderates, we cannot finish our quarters this winter and I think it useless to do much for it will be spring before we get them done and by that time we will begin to march and then we won’t need them.
As to our fare, we make out very well. We get plenty of beef and bread. Some coffee, molasses, &c.
W. H. H. Tyson 1 received your letter of the 17th inst. We was very glad to hear from you. I was sorry to hear of mother being so poorly. I hope she will soon be better.
Out time is fast rolling on when we will be at home where I anticipate pleasure and great joy when we all arrive and I hope it may be a time that we may all sing and dance as the disciples did of old, though not only myself but many others is looking forward to a gloomy time. There is but little hope of peace soon and now there has got o be thousands upon tops of thousands of troops raised for you know that all, or most, of the volunteers time will be out in the course of five months and their vacancies must be filled with regulars and there is not enough left behind that is willing to take our places. Consequently a draft will follow and then it will take many a man that ought not to go and leave a man that ought to have went. But I hope that old Chatham will do her part without a draft. I am willing to go as a regular and serve during the war but I am a coming home before I go in and I shall have some new officers.
A good many of our regiment talk like going in for the war. There is men making up a company in Yorktown that offer a furlough of 60 days [and] $50 bounty, &c., but I don’t expect to join them. I expect to come home and join a company in Chatham.
I received the jug of brandy that you sent by Ramsey. I feel under many obligations to you.
You may tell Joab Cheek that I will attend his big party with much pleasure and I want him to have some of those of whom I can place my affections upon in preference to all others, and one that I can look upon as being the fairest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.
There is but little excitement here at present. No fight anticipated before spring. All is quiet. So I will close by saying write soon. Give my love to family and all enquiring friends. Your humble servant, — J. M. Edwards
1 William Henry Harrison Tyson of Chatham county while serving in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant of that company on 2 May 1862. Later, during the Seven Days Battles, he was wounded at Malvern Hill on 1 July 1862. William’s company was later reorganized as Co. I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry. In May 1864, William was promoted to Captain of his company. He resigned his commission on 7 March 1865.
Letter 2
Camp near Pines Bluff, Va.
12 November 1862
Miss M[ary] C[atherine] Paschal,
Much esteemed friend, again I make the attempt to know or to make the enquiry what has become of you. When I left you, you insisted on me writing to you so hard I thought you most assuredly would return to me the same favor, but I have wrote to you long enough ago to have got two or three letters, but have not got one as yet. And now I write again and I do hope you will let me hear from you immediately, if not sooner.
Well, Mary, how are you getting along since I left? Have you seen anybody that I would like to see. If you have, I hope you spoke a good word for me and if you have not seen any of them, I hope you will soon and will tell them howdy for me and kiss them nicely. Tell them when you kiss them just to think of me and it will be as though I had kissed them and it was according to my request.
I am getting some mighty good letters along now. I received three the other day all from the same neighborhood and they were addressed to Mr. Edwards in the most kindest terms imaginable, another Johnny in all its loving features and the third My Dear beloved Cousin John. I tell you, Miss Cite, it was more than I could face the case on. But I treated the cold under the existing circumstances with the exception of so much Dear Beloved Cousin John which was just about every third line. You just ought to have seen [illegible and uninteresting]…
I am in pretty good fix for writing love composition at this time for I think of nothing, talk of nothing, or dream of nothing [but] the girls. I wish I had another association to go to. I think I would bring things to a close. I have been the worst love sick that I ever was in all my life. I would not mind another right smart wound to get home. I reckon your Pa told you of the presents I received in the Pines. I received another the other day in a letter so you [may] guess I am getting pretty popular on Rocky River as well as Deep River. Bear Creek is not here from Deep River. I reckon the fat is all in the [ ].
I have been studying for I can’t get home at Christmas and the only way I see to get home is to get a furlough to get married. Gen. Daniel says he will give a furlough of 30 days to anybody that wants to get married so I believe I will take him up. Don’t you think it would be a good idea. I think if I continue to get such letters, I can have all things ready by Christmas. Well, we have [had] plenty of nonsense.
I am getting along splendid. My health is very good. I have [been] very well ever since we got here. I like to have forgot to tell you what a good dinner I had today. I have me a slice potato pie. Bought the potatoes at $1 apiece, sugar $1 a lb. You may know it was good.
There is no Yankees about here. It suits me mighty well. We are about done on fortifications. We are now building winter quarters and the railroad is within a half mile of the halfway station. We are having a good time. The health of the regiment is mighty good. I think the prospect is pretty good for us to stay here this winter and I am very willing to stay here during the war. I have not heard from the 26th since they left. Am quite anxious to hear from J. M. Fox. Lieut. [W. H. H.] Tyson is well and in fine spirits.
So I must close. My live and regards to your Pa and Ma and you…. Your friend as ever, — J. M. Edwards
Camp 32nd Regiment N. C. Petersburg, Va.
Spared & Shared 23 