This letter was written by Abner Newton Steele (1826-1862) while serving as 1st Lieutenant in Co. G, 11th Alabama Infantry. Before enlisting with the North Port Rifles, Abner had prior military experience during the War with Mexico having served as the First Sergeant of Co. A, Mississippi Regiment Rifle Battalion.

At the time of the July 1860 US Census, Abner was employed as a merchant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, having previously operated a plantation near Columbus in Chickasaw county, Mississippi. Enumerated in the household with him was his wife, Eleanor (“Ellen”) Caroline Steele (1825-1906), age 33, his three sons, Richard (age 7), Frank M. (age 3), and John C. B. (age 1 month), and two girls, Isabella (“Bell”) Vaughan (age 16) and Mary J. Vaughan (age 14).

The 11th Alabama was organized in June 1861 at Lynchburg, Virginia, under Colonel Sydenham (“Syd”) Moore. By January 1862, they were attached to Cadmus Wilcox’s Brigade and fought under him at the Battle of Seven Pines, the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, and finally at the Battle of Frazier’s Farm (or “Glendale”) where Abner Steele, leading Co. G, was killed with 48 other men of the 11 Alabama in hand to hand combat with Federals defending two artillery batteries. Incredibly, eight of the ten officers leading companies in the 11th Alabama were killed in the bayonet assault at Frazier’s Farm.

See also—1861: Abner Newton Steele to Eleanor Caroline (Thomson) Steele published on Spared & Shared 20.

Transcription

Camp 16 miles below Richmond, Va.
May 11th 1862

My dear Ellen,

I am happy to inform you that I am alive and well. So is Peter and all the North Port boys. We left our fortifications at Yorktown on yesterday a week ago and have been on the march up to yesterday. We have made a halt and are now in battle array but I can’t say whether [Joseph E.] Johnston intends making a permanent stand or not. If he does not here, it is not far to where he will. It is supposed that the Yankees under McClellan are in hot pursuit of us with a large force and close in our rear.

We had an engagement with them at Williamsburg the day after we left and repulsed them with heavy loss. Also another near West Point with a like result, The 11th Alabama Regiment was not in it but close by and held as a reserve to reinforce if necessary. We lost several gallant officers at Williamsburg—Col. [Christopher Hayes] Mott of the 18th Mississippi and Major Forney of the 10th Alabama were among the killed. ¹

Our retreat has been managed with the greatest skill of any one known in the world. It has given the whole army a great deal more confidence in General Johnston and I believe now that the army we have here can whip any army the Yanks can bring against us and I think in a few days we will have a chance to try it against the flower of the North.

You must watch the papers and see our movements. Our regiment is now in General Howell Cobb’s Brigade and in Major General Magruder’s Division. I seen nearly all our army here and it is a sight to see it. I can’t say how many men we have but enough to keep the Yanks out of Richmond.

The courier starts to the office immediately and I must close. Don’t be uneasy about me. I am in excellent health and in fine spirits. Remember me to the little boys. My respects to all. In great haste. Yours truly, — A. N. Steele

Direct your letters to Richmond, Va.

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¹ Col. Mott was indeed killed at the Battle of Williamsburg but Major William H. Forney was wounded in the right arm and taken prisoner. He was exchanged on 31 August 1862 and returned to his regiment where he was wounded once again at the Battle of Salem Church on May 1863. He was left on the field with multiple wounds at Gettysburg, captured again, and exchanged in August 1864. He finished the war as a Brigadier General in William Mahone’s Division.