The following letter was written by Luke Palmer Hurt Trapley (1841-1862) who enlisted as a corporal in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, to serve in the Whitmell Guards (Co. D) of the 38th Virginia Infantry. He was later promoted to sergeant and had the honor of being named the color bear during the Seven Days Battles on the Peninsula. He and Corporal Cornelius Gilbert of Co. D, as well as Private Churchwell Parker of Co. F each fell mortally wounded while bearing the colors in advance of the regiment during the charges at the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862.
The 38th Regiment, Virginia Infantry was recruited in Pittsylvania, Halifax, and Mechlenburg counties. It served under the command of Generals Early, Garland, Armistead, Barton, and Steuart. The 38th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Gettysburg, then served in North Carolina. Later it was attached to the Department of Richmond, fought at Drewry’s Bluff and Cold Harbor, endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches, and ended the war at Appomattox. The regiment totaled 544 effectives in April, 1862, and sustained 9 casualties at Williamsburg, 147 at Seven Pines, 94 at Malvern Hill, and 16 in the Maryland Campaign. More than 55 percent of the 400 engaged at Gettysburg were disabled and it reported 11 killed, 30 wounded, and 10 missing at Drewry’s Bluff. The unit surrendered 12 officers and 82 men.
Luke was the son of Luke Palmer Tarpley (1810-1856) and Nancy Perkins Hurt (1817-Aft1880) of Pittsylvania county, Virginia. In the 1860 US Census, we learn that Nancy took her mail at the Chestnut Grove Post Office of Pittsylvania county, that her real estate was valued at 1,600 dollars, and her personal property was valued at 5,000 dollars which was largely due to the five slaves she owned.
Luke wrote the letter to Mary (“Mollie”) H. Swanson, the sister of Samuel Allen Swanson (1838-1862) who also served in Co. D, 38th Virginia Infantry. In June 1861, he was elected 2nd Lieutenant of the company. He was killed in the Battle of Seven Pines near Richmond on 31 May 1862. Mollie’s parents were John Swanson (1802-1882) and Julie B. Cook (1802-1868) of Swansonville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. See also—1861: Samuel Allen Swanson to Mollie Henrie Swanson
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Camp Edmonds 1 [near Centreville, Virginia]
September 20, 1861
Miss Mollie H. Swanson,
Dear friend, I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines in reply to your very welcome letter which I received a few days since. I was much pleased to get a letter from you as none of you has thought enough of me to write since I left. I had just concluded the day I received your letter that you girls certainly must be the worst girls about writing in the world as none of you would write atall and I had laid up a quarrel for every one of you but none that you have written to me. I will not quarrel with you any but tell the rest of the girls to look out for twelve months ain’t always.
I will now try and give some of the news of the day. There is a great deal of sickness in camp at present. Our captain [Ralph Clement Herndon] is complaining some but nothing serious. Lieutenant [Napoleon] Price 2 is very sick. He has the fever. Our company are improving some. We have only 24 on the sick list, if I ain’t mistaken. Sam [Swanson] is well and hearty and looks better than I ever saw him. It is hard for me to decide which is the best looking—myself or Sam. We both look so well, it is hard to make a decision.
You ask me if I had a chance at the Yankees heads yet. I am sorry to say I have not for every time they hear of the 38th, they put out. We went out at Winchester to give them a round and why did we? There was no Yankees there. They fought over the left shoulder. They had better travel when the 38th breaks out—more particular, the Whitmell Guards [of Co. D].
You said you think that I would like very well to see a certain young lady. I will admit to that. I would like very well to see you all. I would be pleased to know the secret yuo and Miss Patsy found out for I am anxious to know it. I want to know what you call a secret.
Well I know you will get tired of my nonsense, therefore I will try and write something else. You told me to give your love to Oliver and take good care of him. I have given him your love and also have taken as good care of him as I could possibly do. I have to stand guard every day or two from the fact we have so much sickness in our company. I went to see him as often almost as one of my own brothers. I am happy to say that he is improving and if no bad accident happens to him, he will soon be able for service again. I will now close my madly written letter as I expect to send this by Capt. Hall and he will give you all the news. Write soon to your friend, – L. P. H. Tarpley
P.S. Please excuse bad writing and spelling. Give my love to your father’s family, Capt. Hall, and also mother’s family. Goodbye until I hear from you again. — L. P. H. T.
P. S. Tell old man Cook I would be pleased to hear from him. — Doc
1 The camp was named after Col Edmonds, the commander of the 38th Virginia Infantry. He was killed on July 3, 1863 during Pickett’s Charge. His command was part of Gen Lewis Armistead’s that followed Pettigrew’s and Trimble’s into the field. After marching west, the command turned and headed northeast. Col. Edmonds was killed about 30 feet from the Angle. He was buried on the field and later exhumed and is now buried at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond.
2 Napoleon Price (1840-1862) was 1st Lieutenant of Co. D, 38th Virginia. He was critically wounded in the charge of Malvern Hill near Richmond on July 1, 1862, and died in the Richmond hospital two days later.
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