He signed his name “Lenerd Aldman,” but muster rolls of Co. B, 7th North Carolina Infantry record the name of the author of this letter (variously) as Pvt. Leonard Allman, Allmon, Almond, or Almon (1826-1864). Leonard was born in Gaston county, North Carolina, and following his capture on 14 July 1863 at the Battle of Williamsport, he was confined at the Old Capital Prison in Washington City and then transferred to Point Lookout, Maryland, where he died at the age of 38 on 8 March 1864. He was married to Mary “Caroline” Linker (1823-1910) in 1856 in Cabarrus county, North Carolina.

A deeper dive into Leonard’s ancestry reveals that he was the son of Richard Almon (1783-1860) and Nancy Allen (1790-1860). Caroline’s parents were David Linker (1795-1850) and Nancy Shore (1803-1850) of Cabarrus county. Leonard and Caroline had at least two children—Caleb (b. 1858) and Nancy (b. 1860).

Leonard’s letter was written a couple of weeks after the battle of Fredericksburg. In that fight, Brig. Gen. James H. Lane’s Brigade was on Lt. Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s left, some two miles southeast of the town, and the 7th NC Regiment was on Brig. Gen. Lane’s left, about two hundred yards distant from the railroad and about the same distance in front of the right of Brig. Gen. William D. Pender’s North Carolina brigade. A short distance beyond the railroad there was a ridge that extended some distance to the right, and was lost in the common level of the surrounding plain. This ridge was occupied by a battalion of artillery, thirteen guns, under Maj. Braxton, with instructions to play on the enemy’s infantry without replying to his artillery. Before the fight began the 7th NC Regiment, Lt. Col. Junius L. Hill commanding, was advanced to the railroad to ensure the safety of the guns. A fog hung over the field and concealed the enemy’s movements until well under way. About 9 o’clock a.m. a line of battle advanced from under cover of the river bank and was driven back by the fire of the artillery in front. By way of retaliation, several Federal batteries opened on Maj. Braxton’s guns, and also did the 7th NC Regiment serious injury, driving in its skirmishers, ten (1) of them having been injured by one shell. The enemy’s skirmishers then advanced and endangered the gunners, and on this fact being reported to Lt. Col. Hill by one of their officers, he promptly advanced our regiment and drove them off. Meantime, the artillery left the field, and to save his men, Lt. Col. Hill ordered the regiment into the railroad cut near by, where it remained about two hours, during which time there was a lull in the storm.

In forming his line of battle, Maj. Gen. A. P. Hill had left an open space of several hundred yards, extending from Brig. Gen. Lane’s right to Brig. Gen. James J. Archer’s (TX) left. By noon the fog of the early morning had cleared away, and the keen-sighted Yankees were not long in detecting this opening, against which they sent a cloud of skirmishers and directed a powerful artillery fire. The 7th NC Regiment now left the railroad cut and resumed its former position on the left of the brigade. In a short while the enemy advanced in great force to the crest of the hill beyond the railroad, several stands of colors being visible in front of the 7th NC Regiment, but their troops were not sufficiently exposed to invite its fire. Remaining stationary for a short time, they retired, then advanced a second time and remained stationary as before, apparently hesitating to risk the result; and presently the entire column moved by the left flank behind the ridge and massed on the fatal opening. Turning Brig. Gen. Lane’s right and Brig. Gen. Archer’s left, they entered the woods to the rear and momentarily endangered the Confederate center. The 7th NC Regiment remained in line until the regiments on its right gave way, when it also fell back in good order to Brig. Gen. William D. Pender’s (NC) line, under a heavy artillery fire. From there it was immediately ordered to the right of the brigade, where it rendered good service in helping to drive the enemy back and aiding to re-establish the line. The writer, from personal observation, bears testimony to the gallant and heroic resistance made by the 37th and 28th NC Regiments to overwhelming numbers, as they entered the opening and turned the positions held by these regiments. The repulse of the enemy was complete, his loss frightful, and he made no further assault on this part of the line. In the 7th NC Regiment eleven (11) men were killed and eighty-one (81) wounded. Among the latter, Capt. John McLeod Turner, of Company F, was shot through the body and sustained a serious lung injury, and Capt. John G. Knox, of Company A, was quite seriously wounded. Lt. Solomon Furr, of Company B, was also wounded.

After the Federal army recrossed the river the Confederates went into winter quarters along the Rappahannock River. Brig. Gen. James H. Lane’s (NC) Brigade encamped near Moss Neck. Army supplies had to be hauled in wagons from Guinea Station, a distance of nine miles. Heavy details were sent daily to help corduroy the miry roads, and this, in connection with the ordinary camp duties and constantly maintaining a long picket line, kept the 7th NC Regiment busy during the bleak winter months.

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

Camp near Fredericksburg, Va.
January 3rd 1863

Dear wife,

I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to inform you that I am well and also hope that these few lines may reach and find you well. I am happy to state to you that I received your kind letter which was write on the 26th yesterday evening and was truly glad to hear that you was well and in good spirits.

Dear wife, I can inform you that the times are very dull at this time but still a great deal better than some time since we get plenty to eat at this time. I can also inform you that there is not much news agoing about the war at this time. Things seem to be more still than they have been for some time and I hope that the first thing we know, they will send us home [ ].

You stated in your letter that you wanted me to write to you and let you know something about Caleb Linker. I can inform you that I do not know anything about him though he must be [with]in about two or three miles from here for we passed the regiment the day before the fight but I did not get to see him. But some of our boys did see him. I can also inform you that I received them things that you sent with Jack Bost to me. I also received a pair of socks and gloves for Linker but he isn’t with us at this time and I do not know how he is to get them.

You stated in your letter that I ought to been at home this Christmas and New Years. I should like to have been there but there is no chance. But I hope that if I live till another Christmas I may be at home enjoying myself around my fireside and home.

Dear wife, I can inform you that I have no chance to get any stamps or envelopes and paper and I want you to send some in your next letter if you please. I must close these few lines by asking you to write as soon as you get this letter. I remain your true husband till death, Write soon. — L. Aldman

To C. Aldman

Tell Jim Breans that I can’t come home now but for him to come and fetch his bottle of liquor and Old Turner and I’ll show him more ducks than he can put in his barn and then we will have a right spree for you know that we can’t have half a spree in Concord. Write soon. Lenerd Aldman

Direct to Richmond, Virginia, in care of Company B, 7th Regt. North Carolina State Troops