The following two letters were sent to me from a private collection with the hope that I might be able to identify the author but I have failed to do so. I publish it here, however, on the outside chance that I might be able to link it to some other correspondence in the future.
[Note these letters are the property of Greg Herr and were sent to me for publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Letter 1
Richmond [Virginia]
February 22, 1861
Dear Babie,
Enclosed please fid $5 which you will hand to Mr. Scott in exchange for a five dollar S. Carolina Note provided he has not used it (the note I let him have). If he has made use of it, you can keep the note I send and use it for your own purposes. Please let me hear from you as soon as you receive this.
I send you a hat which I hope you will receive safe, and please, I heard from you through Miss Pattie Boothe a few days ago. She said her sister told her you were invited to her wedding. She seemed somewhat surprised that such a report should be in circulation. Of course she would be expected to deny it. I suppose it is put off for the present, and may be forever. I send you also some candies, figs, fruits, &c. which I hope will please.
All’s well at Big Pa’s and at home. If you do not understand exactly about the money I send, show this to Mr. Scott and he will know if he has the S. Carolina Note yet and cannot pass it in Danville return it to me by letter.
You must study close and try to learn as fast as you can. Of course the faster you advance, the sooner you will complete your education and the less it will cost which is a consideration these hard times when money is tight.
Write soon and let me know if you get your articles all right. Your little Pa. — John J. Barnes
I have been down to Richmond attending the Convention. 1 The Convention is likely to do nothing satisfactory to the people. I go up in the morning.
1 The Virginia Convention of 1861, also called the Secession Convention, met on February 13, 1861, before the American Civil War to decide if Virginia should secede from the United States. It had 152 delegates, mostly Unionists, who were elected by the Virginia General Assembly, and their decision needed to be confirmed by a statewide vote. Several Southern states had already seceded after Abraham Lincoln was elected president in November 1860. Virginia was hesitant, and debates lasted for months. On April 4, secessionists lost a vote but still prepared for war. Former governor Henry A. Wise tried to secure the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry by military means, which upset Unionist delegate John Baldwin. After Fort Sumter fell on April 13 and Lincoln called for volunteers on April 15, support for secession grew, leading the convention to vote on April 17 to leave the Union. Virginians showed their support in a vote on May 23, and the state joined the Confederacy.
Letter 2
Richmond [Virginia]
March 21st 1862
Dear Babie,
I wrote you some time since but have not heard from you since your letter on your arrival at Danville. I have taken cold in camp and have been quite sick for 5 or 6 days and am not any better yet. I have not been confined to my bed all the time. When I feel well enough, I walk about my room. assoon as I am able to travel on the cars, I will come up to see you which I hope will be sometime next week. Answer this note as soon as you receive it and let me know if you need anything as I may carry it up to you when I go. Since I have been sick, our company has disbanded and the most of them gone home. I was sorry but could not help it so many of them getting exempt on account of being a widow’s overseer and about 20 sick ones in camp.
I left camp and came to town as soon as I was taken sick. Ned is very sick also, but hope he is some better today. The doctor thinks Ned better. I have had Morris here but got Tom to take him home this morning. I do not feel much like writing this evening [even] if I had anything to write, and as I have none, I will stop. Paper is scarce. As you see I am writing on an old circular. Write soon as you get this. Direct to Richmond. — J. J. Barnes
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