The following letter was written by Thomas Elvanslow Kearns (1831-1903), the son of Isaac Kearns (1800-1886) and Polly Steed (1803-1883) of Randolph county, North Carolina. At the age of 33, Thomas enlisted in the Confederate army as a private on 19 August 1864 at Camp Holmes, North Carolina. He was assigned to serve in Co. H, 38th North Carolina Infantry. During the Union break-out of the Richmond-Petersburg siege, he was captured near Sutherland, Virginia, on 3 April, 1865. He was then transferred to City Point, Virginia on 6 April, 1865, where he was held until he was released in June 1865.

Thomas was married to Rebecca Kindley (1840-1911) in September 1860. His sister, the recipient of this letter, was Adline Norwood (Kearns) Adderton (1829-1918), the wife of George R. Adderton (1830-1893). George served the Confederacy as a member of Co. K, 5th North Carolina Cavalry from March 1823 until at least late October 1864.

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

Petersburg, Va.
October 23, 1864

Dear sister,

I will write a few lines to you this morning to let you know how I am a getting along. I am well as common and I hope these few lines will find you all well.

I have not got much news to write. All is quiet today. I wrote to my family to send me a box by a fellow [that] is going to bring boxes for our brigade but for fear they won’t get the letter in tie, I will write a few lines to you and send by Ive Johnson. I want you to see them and tell them to send me a box and to have it at High Point by the 7th day of November and mark it to me like a letter. And tell them to send me a good box and a tolerable large one for our rations are so short, we can’t make out without buying and everything is so high that we can’t buy much without we had more money. We can eat what we draw for two days in one easy, so tell them to send me a good box of all kinds of eatables. Be sure to have it at High Point by the 7th of November. He will start the 8th day back for the brigade. I think it will come safe.

I am trying to do the best I can. I hope the war won’t last long for it is a hard place. I want you to write me as soon as you get this. Your affectionate brother until death, — T. E. Kearns