This letter was written by Joseph Edwin Folkes (1842-1916), the son of Elisha Knibb Folkes (1794-1849) and Mary Wynne Epps (1792-1851) of Charles City, Virginia. By 1863, when this letter was penned, the only survivors in the family were Joseph and his older sister, Rebecca Epps Folkes (1832-1866).

According to his obituary, Joseph was born at Bermuda Hundred on the James river. At the age of 19 in May 1861, he joined the Confederate Army “as a member of Pickett’s Second Brigade of Volunteers, Mahone’s Division, A. P. Hill’s Corps. He fought with the brigade until August 19, 1864 when he was wounded while on the line of battle. To the day of his death he carried a minié ball in his shoulder blade as a memento of the fight.”

Though Joseph’s obituary (Richmond Times Dispatch) suggests a glorious service in Pickett’s Brigade, we learn from regimental muster rolls that he did not enter the service until late in 1861 as a private in Co. B, 41st Viginia Infantry but was quickly promoted to 5th Sergeant (he had excellent hand writing). However, a year later he was reduced to ranks just after the Battle of Fredericksburg and he had two months pay deducted by order of court martial. In 1863 we know that Joseph was with his regiment at Gettysburg where he was quoted: “On the eve of the 2nd, all the night long, our brigade worked on the breastworks; for we knew the 3rd of July was to be another just like the one ended, and we were willing to work now and hard.” [see: Account of Joseph E. Folkes, by Kate Folkes Minor, on file at the Fredericksburg and Gettysburg National Military Parks.]

In June 1864, he was reduced in ranks again from Sergeant to Private but then promoted to Segt. Major by order of Major Eterage on 1 August 1864 (he appears to have been promoted while absent due to his wounds). At war’s end, he was still serving in Co. B, 41st Virginia, and never received the commission he felt he deserved. Maybe criticizing his Colonel publicly in the home newspapers had something to do with that,

After the war, Joseph settled in Richmond where he was a sales clerk for Levy Brothers. Afterwards he was an assistant librarian at the State Library Building.

Transcription

Camp 41st Virginia Regiment
Near Fredericksburg City, Virginia
Bright and Sunny, February 7th, 1863

Devoted and Fondly Remembered Mary,

As nothing can afford me more pleasure than writing to you, I will devote the leisure hours of this sweet morning in so doing for when I am writing to you, the lively and bright bye gone days loom up before ]me], and I almost think it is reality. But when I come to think where I am, it causes a sigh to escape my heart. Why, oh why, does cruel fate allot such to be my destiny. Oh that I could say I was happy and contented with my lot, but I cannot. I am not contented and cannot be. But I forget. Let that pass.

We are now quite comfortable in our tents, with chimneys more so than our friends imagine at home. It is true that we have long been without tents, or any other kind of shelter and exposed to the wintry winds and rains, but that cause could not be helped as we were continually on the march. But we are now, and have been for the past six weeks, in good tents and within the last two weeks we have almost erected a little city, with its nice little streets and side walks. If I am not to get any nearer home this winter, I would like as much to stay where I am. I wish I was an artist to draft my quarters so you could see them. I know you would admire them—but not because I made the building after my own fancy. What a beautiful site at the close of evening when the glorious sun is setting behind the western hills does our camp and the landscape around present. You remember I am a great lover of nature, but ungifted to catch the beauties of a landscape and transfer them to canvas, unpracticed in the simplest movement of the artist’s duties. I can only stand and admire what Providence has spread around us soldiers who are battling for our country’s honor and liberties, and as colors deepen or fade, and the beauties augment or diminish, I bow with admiration at the object and increased love to Him whose hand has garnished the Heavens and whose goodness is as manifest in these his lower works, as in the constellated glories of the firmament, whose sisters combine to enrich, with heatless light worlds of space, and the infinite seems exhausted to give with starry luster earths evening canopy. Equally [ ] am I with that genius which passes on some [ ] the interesting and the sublime, in the simple and the ordinary. I have no such gifts but I have the love for such gifts. Sometimes the skill of an artist, press upon me till I wish I had the genius and skills to fix the picture, which nature has drawn, and show that our camp [illegible—paper fold] come in turn, the stimulate to taste.

Our regiment was thrown in great excitement not long ago since. The alarm drum was sounded and the Yankees as well as we fell immediately in line of battle and for some time great excitement prevailed on both sides of the Rappahannock. The cause was occasion[ed] by the burning of a dwelling by our pickets and three or four bombs that had been thrown in it on the last fight exploded and we, as well as the enemy, thought that they were signals. But all is quiet now. It is the general impression that a fight is inevitable and that our furloughs have been stopped, and those who are on them are ordered to report to their companies as soon as time will admit. Our next fight will prove to be grandest ever fought on the Rappahannock river, for since the last fight they have been preparing for another fight. A great many batteries are visible that have been recently erected. For the last few days they have been moving large bodies of troops up and down the river. If we are to fight in the quarter, the sooner the better. I want to see it end as soon as it can be done.

You will be surprised to hear that I have been elected from sergeant of Co. B to 1st Lieutenant in Co. G of the regiment and because I stayed over my time at home, the Brigadier General has a board of officers, West Point graduates, to examine and see if I was qualified for the position, and because I missed one word, they reported me incompetent and they have ordered me again to Co. B. This is imposition and I will have redress if it cost me my own life. The fact of this business, they are not willing to see a sergeant promoted to a commission. But I was Co. G’s preference and was duly elected their 1st Lieutenant and even elected by acclimation. I have written to some of my influential friends—one in the Senate and the other a member of the House of Delegates. These friends have written me word that they would see the Secretary of War on the subject and if they can get me off, they will, and I can then join any company I may choose. If I get off, I will join some other company—perhaps the City Battalion. I will never serve in any regiment to which I am by law entitled to a commission. I have faithfully been serving my country and always worked for the promotion of her good. The men know this fact and want me their officer, and I mean to have justice done them as well as myself. I have never since I have been in the service arose in any position that I did not work my way up. Favors have never carried me a step. This regiment works by favors altogether.

Since I have written, the Colonel has found it out and thinks that the secretary of war will decide with me that I am entitled to be relived from further duty with this regiment and he wishes me to take my old position as Sergeant Major. I politely told him I was not going to hold any office below the one I was entitled to and [ ] not get my rights, I declined any positions he could give. He finally wound up by saying I was not old enough to be a 1st Lieutenant of any company while in active service, and admitted I might be competent, but said the Captain wanted to resign and the 1st Lieutenant would be promoted up to his rank. I told him he knew that if justice was dealt out to me, I would get my office, but as I was not his or the Lieutenant Colonel’s favorite, I would not have justice. He walked off as haughty as a prince and we have had no words on the subject as yet and I do not care if he never says a word to me again about it.

We have had a terrible snow storm up here, but stood at better than I had anticipated we would. We have not had much suffering in our regiment as we all the men seem pretty well supplied with clothes and shoes. A Louisiana Brigade and ours used to fight snow balls while the snow lasted, officers and all. Our Brigade used to whip them everyday. You just ought to have seen them charge us. Our brigade would repulse them every time.

Your kind and affectionate letter came safe to hand on last evening and I embrace this the first opportunity of writing an answer to your highly appreciated letter. Nothing can afford me more pleasure than writing to you and I assure you that they are always received with the deepest emotions of gratitude. Often when I am lonesome and wearied out with camp and the old familiar scenes of the soldier’s life, I read and re-read those old letters written by yourself, and they always cheer me up, that I can go about my military duties with a light and cheerful face, knowing that one, sometimes thinks of absent of absent Joe. If I knew that you ever thought of me half so often as you are thought of, Mary, the world might frown but I would heed it not so long as I was remembered by lovely Mary. Time would then roll on faster and not drag on as the present. Things would in general present a sweeter view. The world would then look happy and I would be happy if anything in this life could make me so. But what I have written you treat as nothing, knowing who it comes from. But nevertheless, it is true. But I beg and entreat you not to get offended at what I have said and treat me with contempt by not writing to me again. Then indeed, would I be unhappy.

Enclosed you will find an article relative to my treatment received at the hands of my Colonel, which I had published in the Richmond Whig to show the public what mean and unjust laws are enforced upon the soldiers. If I was a colonel, I am sure I would feel quite cheap after seeing such a piece in a public news paper which referred to me. I hear that our Brigade General is to be promoted to a Major General and his old Brigade to form part of his division as Major General, and that our command will be sent to Tennessee or down to Waverly Station, Sussex County, Virginia. Nearly all of the companies in the regiment are from down that portion of the state and they are raving to be sent there, but our company and Co. G are for staying this side of Richmond. I had rather stay up in the Blue Ridge Mountains than go down in that sickly country, though we could hide in the Dismal Swamp from the Yankees.

I must now finish writing for the morning as my duty will not admit of my writing any more. I must now go and drill, as the drum is rolling for Battalion drill which will not be over until late in the evening. But in the morning I will finish this long letter if such it can be called You will be tired of reading by the time you get through with it this mess, so goodbye until morning.

Well, according to promise I will end this letter. I received one from home this morning which brought sad intelligence. It said the small pox was in the county and that it was at Mr. Stagg’s. I heard that I had a nephew down with it and worst of all my only sister is there and if she was to have that hateful disease, I would almost go mad for she could not survive such an attack. I would not care to live on an other day if she was taken from me. She is all I live for and if I was to lose her, all—,”all,”—would be gone and Joe would be left, the only one of his fathers family. May the Supreme Being forbid such to be my destiny in this world, with no father, mother, brother, or sister—horrible. I could give all up but not my sister, for no one could love a sister better than I love mine. And I know she thinks more of me than many sisters think of their brothers, for as the old adage says; the narrower the brook, the stronger does its current flow. She has but one to love and I have the vanity to say it is all centered on one object (myself). I have never received a line from her since I returned from Charles City. I have received letters from all around the county, and no one said a word about it thinking how unhappy it would make me, and the reason that she has not written to me was because that hateful disease was around her. I cannot imagine how it could get so far in the country.

I hope, Mary, from the heart that your home will not be visited by such a monster. I hear that it is all over Richmond, raging in families as well as in the hospital. One of our regiments was sent off this morning to encamp by itself for fear that some of them had it and that it might spread all over our Brigade. I believe I has as live die as have it. and unless great care is taken, it disfigures anyone so much by leaving so many scars. Enough on that unpleasant subject, hoping again it may not infest your home.

Well, this sheet has almost given out so I will have to finish on another sheet, If you are very busy you will have to take this down several times before you finish it.

[last sheet missing]