The following letters were written by Benson Miles Jones (1843-1876), the son of Lambert Jefferson Jones (1813-1894) and Mary Eliza McHardy (1822-1894) of Newberry county, South Carolina. It does not appear that Benson ever served in the Confederate army. We learn that he was working as a Government clerk in Richmond in 1863 and such personnel were routinely drilled with the local militia.

Benson wrote the letters to his cousin, Belton Oscar Mauldin (1839-1874), son of Samuel Easley Mauldin and Caroline McHardy Mauldin. Belton attended Furman University from 1852 to 1859. Belton’s orphaned mother and her siblings fell under the guardianship of John Belton O’Neall (1793-1863)—a chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. At the beginning of the Civil War, Belton enlisted 12 June 1861 and was mustered into Co B, South Carolina (Hampton’s Legion Cavalry) and transferred 15 Aug 1862 to Co I, 2nd South Carolina Cavalry.

Letter 1

Richmond [Virginia]
August 9th 1863

My Dear Cousin:

A few days ago I was very much delighted to receive a letter from you as it had been a very long time since I had that pleasure before. But I thought the reason you did not write was because you were always on the march and could not write or could not get our letters. I am sorry you have been changed from your position, both on your account because you wished to remain, and on my own for I was in hopes I could get with you and I do not wish to go anywhere unless you are there. Can you not get me on the Signal Corps of Gen’l Stuart? I would like so much to be with you and in fact I do not want to go anywhere but with you if I can help it. I would not care if you were in a company just so I could be with you & have you as my bed fellow, &c.

I suppose you have written to Willie and told him not to come on as he intended riding his horse here. I saw Billy Maudin here about three weeks ago. He has left now tho’ with his brigade. I see by the papers that Gen’l Hampton is to be made Major Gen’l, and it is likely your former Major Butler will be Brig’ in his stead. I saw Butler when he was here. He did not seem to mind his foot being amputated for he said he always did suffer with cold feet, and now he would only have one foot to keep warm. I suppose it will be sometime before he can return. ¹

How is Capt. Williams getting along? Col. Butler spoke very well of him to me. I asked him if he saw Pa to try & persuade him to let me go to the army in the cavalry. Thought he might have some place he could give me. Gen’l Hampton has also gone home wounded.

Tell Jno. Willingham I still have his overcoat in my room and if he wishes it this winter, he will know where to send for it. I also have your old sword still. Do you think you can get off any time and come down to see me? I would like very much to see you. Am living finely now, keeping Bachelors Hall. Jack & I [are] alone now and we live very well. Can get something to eat now—plenty of vegetables, &c. I have not received a letter from home this week but have heard through Joe Ward [that] all [are] well. I am standing this summer finely. Have not got sick yet and do not think I will. Hoping soon to hear from you, I remain as ever your loving cousin, — Benson

¹ Colonel Matthew Caldwell Butler of Hampton’s Legion Cavalry Battalion was wounded in the Battle of Brandy Station on 9 June 1863 and had his foot amputated.

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Letter 2

Richmond, Virginia
August 30, 1863

My Dear Cousin,

Your very long and kind letter was gladly received some day or two ago. I should have received it before but the P. O. was closed for four or five days in consequence of a rebellion among the clerks who “struck” for higher wages and that of course delayed all mail arrangements.

I was sorry to hear your corps, under Gen’l Jones, had been broken up, for I know you had a nicer time than you will have now. I have written to Pa as you told me about seeing Gen’l Hampton and I hope he will see him and get both of us on his corps when he returns to his command. Pa does not try to get me a place for he does not want me to go in the service, and he will wait till it is too late and I will have to go just any where, for I am confident that as soon as Congress meets, the first thing it will do will be to turn all Government Clerks out. Even if I did not think so, I think it is time now for me to go, and I must go, and I don’t wish to go any where, where I cannot be with you. So we must try and make arrangements to get together somehow.

I have been looking a little for you down this past week, and when you do come, you must come immediately to my room (same place) and stay with me, for I am keeping Bachelor’s Hall all alone now, for Jack and his brother-in-law could not agree & Jack has gone to boarding and Mr. Wolford goes up every Saturday night to see his wife and returns Monday morning about day & brings enough provisions to last him till the following Saturday and he only pays $25 for his eatables & the days he stays up there. So you see I am all alone now and I have a fine time, for I do not have to adapt my expenses in marketing to suit Mr. Wolford and live much more like I have been accustomed to. There are two beds in my room now. Have moved that lounge out, so you can have aplenty of room and we can have a fine time together.

Do you still think you will be sent down to learn telegraphing? I hope so. We were out on another soldering expedition Friday & Saturday. Came in Saturday afternoon. Did not have such a hard time as before, for they sent us blankets, cooking utensils, 3 skillets & 2 pots to a company and aplenty of bacon, crackers, peas & some sugar & salt and then carried our blankets & utensils back for us. I went out foraging Saturday morning for things to make a Brunswick stew. Got two haversacks full of tomatoes, irish potatoes & butter beans & my arms full of corn for $1.50 and two chickens for six dollars. We cleaned the chickens nicely & cut them up & cleaned all the vegetables & divided them in half & borrowed another pot, and putting a chicken & some bacon & half the vegetables in each pot, and then filling with water, we put them on to boil, seasoned with salt. It was a delightful dinner and there being ten of us, it only cost us seventy five cents each, and we have the two drummer boys in our mess. There were only six of us at first but we had to make ten so as to get a cooking utensil as there were only 5 to a company. I have all the nice men in our company in my mess. We had just finished our dinner when we were ordered back to town.

I do wish you could be down here with me, for I am very homesick now and if you could be here I would feel better & not so lonely. I never hear from your house now except through Mother. They have quit coming to town entirely. I don’t think I have got a letter this year—I know not since you went home. They were well the last I heard, except Helen who had the mumps. Sissie is up there now. With much love & hoping I hear soon, I remain your loving cousin, — Benson