The following letter was written by George H. Hutchings (1822-1883), the son of Robert Hutchings (1790-1850) and Almeda Browder (1797-1872). George was married to Minerva Baker (1825-1918) in 1845 and was residing in Volney, Logan county, Kentucky at the time he wrote this letter on 5 July 1862.

George wrote the letter to his brother requesting him to take action on a proposal offered for the settlement of an Uncle’s estate. The substance of this transaction is uninteresting but the other half of the letter makes frequent references to the Civil War such as its impact on the economy, the division of family loyalties, the prospect of the South’s success, and the recent news of the Seven Days Battles before Richmond.

T R A N S C R I P T I ON

Volney, Logan county, Kentucky
July 5, 1862

John B. R. Hutchings,

Dear cousin, I have received two letters from you since March, little of which were with reference to Uncle Jack’s estate. The first I answered long ago and have been expecting an answer to it for some time. I directed the letter to Hill’s Ferry via Stockland and in that letter I informed you that I would pay you and cousin Mary fifteen hundred dollars each of your Uncle’s estate if you would agree to pay interest on it from the time it was started to you. I also informed you that the whole of the estate was in interest and that you ought to be willing to take the money on these terms as in your case it would in reality amount to no interest at all. That proposition is still open to you and will be for two months. If in that time I do not hear from you, I shall pay it to the other heirs in [ ] who are anxious to take it on those terms.

There is no law here to collect money at present in Kentucky or Tennessee and I cannot possibly settle up the estate until there is some chance to collect by law. Hence if you want money, you had better take it on the terms indicated. Your share if nothing should turn up and cause all the debts to the estate to [ ] will be not far from five thousand dollars but in the very unsettled state of the country, I cannot tell how we will come out.

We have a rumor of a great battle of six days near Richmond, Virginia, in which the Federals have met with a slight repulse from overwhelming numbers and the losses have been tremendous on both sides. I think there is but little chance for the South to succeed in the contest unless foreign powers intervene, which I hardly think they will do.

I heard from Missouri a few days ago. They were all well in that country but had seen pretty hard times from the war. Gillon says he has lost about three thousand dollars worth of property by the war. Edmund joined Price’s army early last spring and is in the South now, and I do not know what has become of him. We are all well in this country and doing pretty well considering the times.

You must write immediately upon the reception of this and let me know how your money must be sent. Send me a receipt signed by yourself, sister and husband for each amount separately that I may have security if anything should turn up. You need not date it as that can be done here. My love to father, mother, and sister, and believe me your affectionate cousin, — George H. Hutchings