The following letter was written by John Alexander Swetnam (1824-1867) to his younger brother, Thomas Levi Swetnam (1830-1898). They were two of at least nine children born to Levi S. Swetnam (1785-1838) and Frances Buckner Roane (1792-1858) of Hartwood, Stafford county, Virginia. John was married to Elizabeth (Bettie”) Keith Ford (1824-1882) and had four children—Addie (b. 1846), Charles (b. 1849), Thomas (b. 1854) and Mary (b. 1858). Thomas married Keturah Marie White (1837-1917) in 1857 and was living in Florence (near Cincinnati), Boone county, Kentucky during the Civil War. Clearly their residencies prior to and during the war prevented the two brothers from seeing each other.

“In April 1865, Stafford’s Civil War soldiers returned to a desolated and defeated land. Destruction had been nearly complete and Stafford’s recovery would take a century. About 1,000 Stafford men had fought in the Confederate forces – mostly in the 47th, 30th, 40th and 55th Virginia Infantry Regiments, the 9th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, and the Stafford Light Artillery. Those Staffordians who remained notoriously remained loyal to the Confederate cause, assisting cavalry reconnaissance, spying and refusing to trade with the occupying Federal forces. There were exceptions – a number of citizens were deemed sufficiently loyal to receive postwar compensation from the Southern Claims Commission. Several actively spied for the Union at great personal risk. A number of former Union soldiers returned and became Staffordians themselves.” [see Civil War in Stafford—Overview]

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

Laurel Cottage
October 15, 1865

Well Thom,

As I am alone this morning I will write to you. I received your letter a few days after it was written. I will proceed and answer your inquiries first. There were several skirmishes in the road just opposite our house and one considerable little fight down the road near Falmouth. The Yankees got whipped every time. 33 were killed and not one of our boys were hurt except one. Young Curtis got his arm broken but he got well and made a good soldier afterward.

I can give you no idea of the state of things we have had here in the last four years unless I could see you. I hope it will not be long before you come now the year is drawing to a close. You say I stated in my first letter that the house and barn at Holly Hill were still standing. Well they are and that is about all on the place. There is no fence around the place at all except a lot Mrs. Pulliam has in corn. Oh yes, the old kitchen and cornhouse are there. Mrs. Pulliam has taken better care of the place this year. You say I said it was unlike many others in the neighborhood and you want to know whose houses have been destroyed. Well the house and all the out houses at Green Bank have been destroyed. The house and all the out houses at Mr. Sanford’s old place. The house and all the out houses at Aunt Nancy’s old place—not a vestige left. Mr. Ballard’s house almost destroyed though he has moved back and is repairing it. I just name those immediately around us. All of these were destroyed by the Yankees, besides every church in the county. Some of the churches were burned, others pulled down to build the huts. Even the old school house was pulled down.

Stafford Court House was almost destroyed—nothing left except the walls and roof. The records were all destroyed. All this was done by the Yankee army. The oficers robbed private houses and sent the furniture North. They even took ladies and children’s wearing apparel and sent them to their wives and children. I write this upon the authority of a reliable person who saw the clothes and furniture at the North and recognized them.

You want to know if Fredericksburg was much burned. Yes, a greater portion of it was burned or battered down. I cannot enter into a detail account.

Joe Swetnam is living at his mother’s. He made a good soldier. ¹ I have not seen Hickerson or Lucy since she got your letter. ² She got a letter from Eliza a short time ago but I don’t know what was in it. I only heard she had received a letter and they were all well. Aunt Willie and Mr. Lunsford were home last Sunday and came on Saturday and Robert and his wife came for them Sunday. I was quite sick. I have not been as well as usual for a week or two. Bettie has gone to town to stay a day or two so I am alone as the boys are always out. This is a rainy day—the first we have had for a month or more. It has been so dry that we could not seed though we do but little. I tell you, farming is a small business in Old Stafford now.

Addie is still at her grandpa’s. Will stay all the winter. I would like for to be here when you come. Write as soon as you get this and let me know when you expect to get here. We all look forward with pleasure to see you in Old Stafford once more. Oh how glad I will be. Charlie says he is going to have a fine time hunting when Uncle Thom comes. I will now stop as I have filled this sheet. All send love to you and family. Yours truly, — John

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¹ Joseph F. Swetnam (1835-1892) served in Co. A, 9th Virginia Cavalry. He was from Stafford county, Virginia. In 1870, he lived in Hartwood, Stafford county.

² John Hore Hickerson (1818-1875) and his wife, Lucy Frances Buckner Swetnam (1824-1878). Hickerson was a farmer in Hartwood, Stafford county, Virginia.