I could not find an image of Samuel but here is an Ambrotype of Samuel John Hoyle who served in Co. K, 49th North Carolina Infantry
The following letter was written by Samuel Putnam (1837-1919) of Shelby, Cleveland county, North Carolina, who volunteered as a private in Co. D, 15th North Carolina Infantry in mid-May 1861. He was 24 years old at the time of his enlistment. The 15th North Carolina served in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia throughout the Peninsula Campaign and on the Maryland Campaign in Longstreet’s Corps, McLaw’s Division, Cobb’s Brigade. During the Battle of Antietam, Samuel was wounded and taken prisoner but paroled and sent to a hospital until he could rejoin his regiment.
In mid-January 1863, Co. D of the 15th North Carolina was transferred to the 49th North Carolina, Ransom’s Brigade, in exchange for Co. B of that regiment. When Gen. Robert Ransom’s Brigade was recalled to eastern North Carolina, the 49th served in the New Bern area and near the Chowan River in North Carolina with the purpose of protecting the Petersburg/Weldon/Wilmington railroad. During this time they fought frequent skirmishes with Union cavalry forces attempting to raid the railroad. Samuel wrote this letter from their encampment near Petersburg in July 1863 where he expressed little hope for the Confederacy.
Ten months later, Samuel was still with his regiment when he was wounded in the arm at Drewry’s Bluff on 16 May 1864—a wound so severe it required amputation.
Samuel was the son of Elias Putnam (1807-1859) and Rachel Poston (1808-1841)—both deceased prior to the war.
Samuel’s Tombstone. Some errors in the details.
Transcription
Camp near Petersburg, Virginia July 21, 1863
Dear Uncle,
Once more I am permitted to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well, hoping when this comes to hand that they may find you & your family all well.
As for news, I hant got none that is good on our side. It looks like this war is going against us but it is just as it is & it can’t be helped though I may be mistaken. But them [that] lives 12 months from this time, they will see how it goes. They say that our men will have to give up Charleston to the Yankees. It looks like they are coming in on every side. General Lee made a bad trip going into Maryland and has got lots of his men killed and no good done on our side. They say the 34th & 38th & 55th [North Carolina] Regiments is cut up bad & I heard that Sam Telford was killed. I don’t know it to be so but expect that he was killed.
Jimmy, you need not tell this to everybody what I have wrote about the war. You may think I am out of heart, but you will see if you are permitted to live how it will go—that is, if we don’t get help from somewhere else. We have got as good fighting men as theirs, but we can’t whip a whole world out. They are going to overpower us for they can do it because they have so many more men than us. And Old Abe has ordered three hundred thousand more men & if they come out, I think we had as well quit. But our men won’t give up until they get all of their men killed.
Jimmy, I want you to write to me and let me know how you are getting along. I would like to see you the best in the world but it is so that I can’t have the opportunity. But I hope that I will be permitted to live to see you all gone. Goodbye. — Samuel Putnam
[to] J. L. Green
Direct your letter to Petersburg’, Co. B, 49th North Carolina troops in Care of Capt. N. B. Corbett, Ransom’s Brigade
These two letters were written by John Morehead Edwards (1838-1907) of Chatham county who enlisted as a private in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry on 4 June 1861. He was wounded slightly in 1 July 1862 in the Battle of Malvern Hill and later again on 10 May 1864 in the Battle of Spottsylvania after the regiment had been reorganized as the 32nd North Carolina Infantry.
After the war, John married Sallie Tyson (1854-1930) and together they had at least eight children. He is buried in the Sandy Branch Baptist Church Cemetery at Bear Creek, Chatham county, North Carolina.
Edwards wrote the first letter to his friend, Richard Bray Paschal (1820-1870) who was elected sheriff of Chatham county on 1854 and served six consecutive terms. In addition to his career as sheriff, Paschal served in the House of Delegates in 1865 and North Carolina Senate in 1866. Paschal’s diary is available on-line at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. It includes accounts of Paschal overseeing the trade of enslaved people in Chatham County, a reminder of the duties assigned to the position of sheriff. Place names and people’s names, white and Black, are included in the diary. [See R. B. Paschal Diary Transcript Now Available]
The second letter was written to Paschal’s eldest daughter, Mary Catherine Paschal (1846-1922) who married Stephen Wiley Brewer (1835-1897) in 1867.
Letter 1
Camp Dudley Yorktown, Virginia January 26th 1862
Mr. R. B. Paschal,
Dear friend, I again take the opportunity of dropping you a few lines to inform you that I and the rest of my comrades is enjoying good health. I am enjoying as good health as I ever did in life. J[ohn] M. Fox, J[oseph] M. Saunders, and all the rest of the boys is hearty and in fine spirits. There is but little complaint in the camp. J. M. Fox is not fit for duty yet but very hearty.
We have had some very rough weather for the last week—rain, hail, snow, &c. but we have a beautiful day today. We have not got any winter quarters yet and the weather is so bad we cannot do much at them. We fare better than one could imagine in our worn out tents. Unless the weather moderates, we cannot finish our quarters this winter and I think it useless to do much for it will be spring before we get them done and by that time we will begin to march and then we won’t need them.
As to our fare, we make out very well. We get plenty of beef and bread. Some coffee, molasses, &c.
W. H. H. Tyson 1 received your letter of the 17th inst. We was very glad to hear from you. I was sorry to hear of mother being so poorly. I hope she will soon be better.
Out time is fast rolling on when we will be at home where I anticipate pleasure and great joy when we all arrive and I hope it may be a time that we may all sing and dance as the disciples did of old, though not only myself but many others is looking forward to a gloomy time. There is but little hope of peace soon and now there has got o be thousands upon tops of thousands of troops raised for you know that all, or most, of the volunteers time will be out in the course of five months and their vacancies must be filled with regulars and there is not enough left behind that is willing to take our places. Consequently a draft will follow and then it will take many a man that ought not to go and leave a man that ought to have went. But I hope that old Chatham will do her part without a draft. I am willing to go as a regular and serve during the war but I am a coming home before I go in and I shall have some new officers.
A good many of our regiment talk like going in for the war. There is men making up a company in Yorktown that offer a furlough of 60 days [and] $50 bounty, &c., but I don’t expect to join them. I expect to come home and join a company in Chatham.
I received the jug of brandy that you sent by Ramsey. I feel under many obligations to you.
You may tell Joab Cheek that I will attend his big party with much pleasure and I want him to have some of those of whom I can place my affections upon in preference to all others, and one that I can look upon as being the fairest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.
There is but little excitement here at present. No fight anticipated before spring. All is quiet. So I will close by saying write soon. Give my love to family and all enquiring friends. Your humble servant, — J. M. Edwards
1 William Henry Harrison Tyson of Chatham county while serving in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant of that company on 2 May 1862. Later, during the Seven Days Battles, he was wounded at Malvern Hill on 1 July 1862. William’s company was later reorganized as Co. I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry. In May 1864, William was promoted to Captain of his company. He resigned his commission on 7 March 1865.
Letter 2
Camp near Pines Bluff, Va. 12 November 1862
Miss M[ary] C[atherine] Paschal,
Much esteemed friend, again I make the attempt to know or to make the enquiry what has become of you. When I left you, you insisted on me writing to you so hard I thought you most assuredly would return to me the same favor, but I have wrote to you long enough ago to have got two or three letters, but have not got one as yet. And now I write again and I do hope you will let me hear from you immediately, if not sooner.
Well, Mary, how are you getting along since I left? Have you seen anybody that I would like to see. If you have, I hope you spoke a good word for me and if you have not seen any of them, I hope you will soon and will tell them howdy for me and kiss them nicely. Tell them when you kiss them just to think of me and it will be as though I had kissed them and it was according to my request.
I am getting some mighty good letters along now. I received three the other day all from the same neighborhood and they were addressed to Mr. Edwards in the most kindest terms imaginable, another Johnny in all its loving features and the third My Dear beloved Cousin John. I tell you, Miss Cite, it was more than I could face the case on. But I treated the cold under the existing circumstances with the exception of so much Dear Beloved Cousin John which was just about every third line. You just ought to have seen [illegible and uninteresting]…
I am in pretty good fix for writing love composition at this time for I think of nothing, talk of nothing, or dream of nothing [but] the girls. I wish I had another association to go to. I think I would bring things to a close. I have been the worst love sick that I ever was in all my life. I would not mind another right smart wound to get home. I reckon your Pa told you of the presents I received in the Pines. I received another the other day in a letter so you [may] guess I am getting pretty popular on Rocky River as well as Deep River. Bear Creek is not here from Deep River. I reckon the fat is all in the [ ].
I have been studying for I can’t get home at Christmas and the only way I see to get home is to get a furlough to get married. Gen. Daniel says he will give a furlough of 30 days to anybody that wants to get married so I believe I will take him up. Don’t you think it would be a good idea. I think if I continue to get such letters, I can have all things ready by Christmas. Well, we have [had] plenty of nonsense.
I am getting along splendid. My health is very good. I have [been] very well ever since we got here. I like to have forgot to tell you what a good dinner I had today. I have me a slice potato pie. Bought the potatoes at $1 apiece, sugar $1 a lb. You may know it was good.
There is no Yankees about here. It suits me mighty well. We are about done on fortifications. We are now building winter quarters and the railroad is within a half mile of the halfway station. We are having a good time. The health of the regiment is mighty good. I think the prospect is pretty good for us to stay here this winter and I am very willing to stay here during the war. I have not heard from the 26th since they left. Am quite anxious to hear from J. M. Fox. Lieut. [W. H. H.] Tyson is well and in fine spirits.
So I must close. My live and regards to your Pa and Ma and you…. Your friend as ever, — J. M. Edwards
The following letter was written by William Henry Harrison Tyson of Chatham county while serving in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant of that company on 2 May 1862. Later, during the Seven Days Battles, he was wounded at Malvern Hill on 1 July 1862. William’s company was later reorganized as Co. I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry. In May 1864, William was promoted to Captain of his company. He resigned his commission on 7 March 1865.
Tyson wrote the letter to John M. Edwards of Chatham county, North Carolina. There were two by that name in the county—one of them a soldier in the same regiment as Tyson. My hunch is this is the older Edward who was a farmer born in 1821.
Transcription
[Before Richmond, Virginia] [Early May 1862]
Mr. J. M. Edwards, Esq.
I will try to write you a few lines. I hope you will be well but I hope you will be at home when you get this from the fact that I do [not] wish any friend of mine to have to go through what we have to bear now. John, you know nothing about hard times. J[oseph] M. Saunders has been sick for the last two weeks but is now better. We have but 20 privates for duty in our company. The sick is in Petersburg and Richmond. We have to submit to conscription. It is a rough pill to take. [William Lord] London is our captain, [Leonidas J.] Merritt 1st Lieutenant, myself 2nd [Lieutenant], Jim Rogers 3rd.
We are now picketing all the time. We have nothing to eat and nothing to cook in the whole Peninsula from Yorktown to Richmond. John, get all the conscript men you can to come to our company. Tell Dr. Hedgepeth to come with you.
I have seen lots of Yankees. Our lines have been from 2[00] to 800 yards apart. The soldiers on each side devil’s each other. The Yankees ask our men how they like conscription [illegible]…have a good many of them march to Richmond every day.
J. M. Saunders says to be sure to bring him 1 pair pants, two shirts, cotton collars he prefers. I hope we will get the chance to come home some time in the summer. George is sick. A[lbert] G. Riggsbee is dead. 1 He died in Petersburg. Tell John Fox I think we are getting [illegible] …no difficulty in his staying at home some time yet. Write to me to Richmond, Va. 15th NC Troops, Gen. Cobb’s Brigade, Care of Capt. W. L. London. Give my love to all enquiring friends. Tell them to write to me. One box of clothing is at Morrisville, having it carried home. — Lieut. W. H. Tyson
1 Albert G. Riggsbee was 19 when he enlisted in Co. M, 15th North Carolina. He died on 2 May 1862.
The following letter was written by William Henry Harrison Tyson of Chatham county while serving in Co. M, 15th North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant of that company on 2 May 1862. Later, during the Seven Days Battles, he was wounded at Malvern Hill on 1 July 1862. William’s company was later reorganized as Co. I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry. In May 1864, William was promoted to Captain of his company. He resigned his commission on 7 March 1865.
Tyson wrote the letter to his friend, Richard Bray Paschal who was elected sheriff of Chatham county on 1854 and served six consecutive terms. In addition to his career as sheriff, Paschal served in the House of Delegates in 1865 and North Carolina Senate in 1866. Paschal’s diary is available on-line at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. It includes accounts of Paschal overseeing the trade of enslaved people in Chatham County, a reminder of the duties assigned to the position of sheriff. Place names and people’s names, white and Black, are included in the diary. [See R. B. Paschal Diary Transcript Now Available]
Transcription
Suffolk, Virginia March 10th 1862
Mr. R. B. Paschal,
I take this opportunity of dropping you a few lines to inform of how we are getting [along]. We have had quite a long time moving from the Peninsula though we as usual had a rough time time. The thought of leaving the Peninsula is so gratifying to us that we feel very cheerful. There is a good many of our company sick in Petersburg. Myself and Saunders is [ ] well. We are of course a long ways from home yet but it seems like we are a good deal nearer home than when we was on the Peninsula.
We expect a fight here shortly. We will have to come in contact with our Roanoke antagonist. I hope we will be with our friends of the 26th Regiment soon. There is 6 or 7 regiments left at this place from the Peninsula. Our regiment, the 14th, and 53rd Virginia, 2nd Louisiana, 2nd and 16th Georgia, Cobb’s Legion from Georgia.
Pa was talking some time ago about coming to see us. Perhaps he will not start before he hears that we have moved. It would be no trouble for him to get to this place. I hope you will come with him when he comes. We have a large number of troops at this place.
I think that J. M. Fox will get a furlough to go home in a short time. There is only about 40 men in our company on duty. I wish I had time to tell you all about the movements of the army. I will write to you again shortly.
Solomon Tesh’s Headstone in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Va.
The following letter was written by Solomon Tesh, a corporal in Co. H, 15th North Carolina Infantry. Solomon enlisted on 15 July 1862 at Raleigh, North Carolina. His muster records indicate that he was wounded in the fighting at South Mountain on 14 September 1862 and shortly thereafter furloughed for 60 days to recuperate. He was with his regiment again in December 1862 and promoted to corporal on 8 April 1863. Unfortunately, Solomon did not survive the war, though he expressed eternal hope that he might, asking his Lord to “give us peace in thine own way & grace to wait thine own time. Thy will be done, not mine.”
Solomon was the son of George Tesh (1796-1872) and Maria Sarah Boeckel (1796-1870) of Friedberg, Davidson county, North Carolina. He was married in 1851 to Phebe Malvina Perryman (1835-1923) who bore him five children—Letitia, Laura, Robert, Benjamin, and Lucy.
Transcription
Fredericksburg, Virginia August 8th 1863
Dear Br. Hege,
I am happy to say I received a few lines from you yesterday by way of your worthy son, in answer to which I will drop you a few stating that I am tolerable well at present. I have been right sick for some two weeks past, as you no doubt have heard, but have about recovered. I am now getting along as well as a poor soldier can expect.
I have good tidings to tell, yet it will be no news to you as you have heard it before now—I mean the reviving influence of the Holy Spirit that has visited our regiment. We have been abundantly blessed in the last month. I hope the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob will continue to bless our poor souls while the body has to suffer so much. We still keep up public prayer in most of our companies, sometimes at one tent and then at another. We meet & sing some old familiar hymns. Then one will lead in prayer. Then we sing again & pray and so on till we get revived. I see more enjoyment sometimes after the day is spent then I do during the day for these things are of more interest to me than all our hard marching or fighting. Yet, if we acknowledge this war as a judgment on us for our sins, it behooves us to suffer our part of the hardships, if possible without murmuring. To do this, it requires much grace. May God help us.
You know, dear Br., that my thoughts often go back to past days spent with you & many beloved Brethren in old Davidson & Forsythe at many places—especially at Friedburg. You know I love the place & those who worship there. And so strong are my affections that Simeonlike, it seems to me that only there I could cheerfully “Depart.” My prayer to almighty God is that I may live to enjoy some of the means of grace in this. If God will fit to bless me with such privileges, I solemnly promise Him to serve Him more fully idea by his grace.
I am indebted to sister Hege for the [ ] of my dear wife’s misfortune. I hoped for some time that in some time it was [ ], but alas, it is so. Hope sister Hege will assist her & drop some word of comfort as any such misfortune must add to sorrow already in divide. It is no small mater to have five little children depending on a poor woman & her husband in the army, now exposed to everything that is hard & dangerous—spiritual & temporal, & at the same time in a condition like here. These things are enough to weigh down my spirit, but turn the thoughts & cry out, “Bless God,” that it is no worse with us. My wife & dear children are still in the interior of the state where they know comparatively nothing of the horrors of war & at last account, we were all alive & had a hope to meet again in this world. And above all things else, I bless God for the hope after death. Then I wish to commend them to the care of their friends, the church & God, with the hope that all things will work together for our good.
But dear Br. & sister, I am running along too lengthy. I hope you will pardon me. You know I love to talk and it is a long time since you & I have been privileged to have a chat. If I was with you to dinner, I think I would enjoy myself & then we could spend Saturday evening pleasantly together.
I have seen a great deal since I am a soldier—much that is heart-rending to look upon. The awful destruction of our once prosperous & happy country, the lands & property of every kind, the many beautiful buildings that I have seen burnt—it looks to me like Old Abe has a poor way to restore the Union & Old Jeff seems to give little hope of any reward like freedom or liberty, so it looks dark for one who always loved a free & republic government. I hope that in some way the curse may be removed ere long. Lord, give us peace in thine own way & grace to wait thine own time. Thy will be done, not mine.
But I must close, dear Br., I hope you will remember when you read this the source from where it comes & will therefore receive it as well meant & overlook all mistakes C. A. is well. The boys are all about except Br. He is not about much. Cont is with us. He is some better. No more now. Your friend, wishing to be claimed as a brother—Solomon Tesh
to his esteemed Br Solomon Hege Fredricksburg Va. August 8th 1863
I could not find an image of Daniel but here is one of David Barlow of Co, I, 15th North Carolina (Photo Sleuth)
These two letters were written by 22 year old Pvt. Daniel Wilson of Co. H, 15th North Carolina Infantry. Daniel enlisted on 15 July 1862 at Raleigh and was with the regiment until September 1, 1862 when he became ill and was hospitalized in Richmond. Though one entry on the muster rolls of his regiment claims he died of his illness, another claims that his name was among the unwounded prisoners taken captive in the Battle of Crampton’s Gap on 14 September 1862 during Lee’s invasion of Maryland and later released at Aiken’s Landing on 6 October 1862. That same source suggests that he died of scurvy at about the time of his release from Fort Delaware prison.
Daniel grew up in the Northern Subdivision of Davidson county, North Carolina.
Camp Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina August 1st 1862
Dear Friends,
I write you a few lines to inform you that I am well at present. We arrived at Raleigh on Thursday about 9 o’clock in the morning and we came all the way in the rain….
Me and Spaugh’s boys are together and have left [illegible] for Constantine. It is supposed that we will leave in a day or two. The Forsythe Regiment [21st N. C.] came here night before last and left last night for to go to Richmond. Several hundred left yesterday.
I have not anything of any importance to write now for we cannot see anything for we are guarded all round. Last Sunday night about 150 run away and they only got four of them—that is captured. They send them to Richmond so fast. There is nothing here but conscripts and they are all calm so far as I have seen.
I want you to remember me in your prayers for you know I have a bad chance but I am determined to serve the Lord and if I never see you no more, I hope to meet you all in heaven. Please write to me when Henry Mock comes if Constantine [Hege] can’t come with him. Read this and think of me. Yours truly, — Daniel Wilson
Letter 2
Richmond, Virginia August 11, 1862
Dear Friend,
I again take my seat to write you a few lines to inform you that I am well so far and I hope these few lines may find you all well and serving the Lord and when you pray I will ask you all to remember me [illegible] till death, whether it be long or whether it be short. My determination is to serve the Lord while I live thought I am thrown into trials and troubles and difficulties here. But I know if we trust Him who has suffered and died for us, He will deliver me out of them although it appears with the most of them as if they had no God to serve, nor hell too, playing as much cards in one day I don’t before.
I tell you, a camp life is a hard life and nobody believes how hard it is until they try it. And if I had my time over again, I should stay at home just as long as I could. If I woulda just a stayed until Soloman and Constantine [Hege] woulda come, I would be better satisfied for I am afraid they wont get with us tho I hope they will. But if Constantine is gone and he don’t come to us and he writes to you, I want you to write to me where he is. But if he is at home, tell him to stay there just as long as he can for it is a hard change here.
We have left that camp near Richmond. We left last Saturday morning and marched 15 miles down on James River. We landed here last evening. We stopped and rested several times and yesterday morning we landed within a half a mile of this place and then we stopped there until evening. We had nothing hardly to eat all the time we were a marching and not much no time, but when we were in camp, we get flour enough but we have got meat half the time. The hardest work that I ever done is to march in this hot country and carry a load for the dust is nearly shin deep and you can hardly see one another for the dust.
We are now getting closer to the Yankees than I want to be. Last night after we got here, I saw the Yankees raise a balloon. 1 They were a spying when I saw it. It was a standing still a little ways above the tree tops. It waved about a little, then it went down. I don’t now how far it was but it didn’t look larger than a bushel basket to me and I saw the smoke boil up from the steamboat close to the balloon. We have got to throw up breastworks close to the James River. I don’t know how soon they will fight for we heard the cannons last night and this morning one after another and I don’t like to hear them.
I tell you this part of Virginia looks bad for everything is torn to pieces nearly. All along where we came, there is camps and the timber is destroyed and there is not many people settled but negroes—there is plenty of them. We are now in a field of about 20 acres that the wheat was not cut and it looks like as if it was good. There is a house close to the camp but the yankees taken [ ] and there is nothing there but negroes now and everything looks desolate. The water is tolerable good but it is unhandy to get. It is nearly a half a mile to carry and we have nothing to carry it in but canteens and it gets warm before we get it here. There is vegetables comes in camp but they are very large apples [and] 50 cent per dozen, butter 1.25 cents per pound, eggs one dollar per dozen, chickens from 1.00 to 2.00 dollars a piece, and other things in proportion. I don’t know how long we will stay here for I expect we will be bomb shelled before many days we have not got any guns yet and have not drilled but little yet. But I expect they will try to rush us in if we get guns and they do fight here. But I hope they may bring this war to a close before long for I tell you, I am tired already.
I have heard that Colonel [Zebulon Baird] Vance is elected in North Carolina. I hope that we will get some leading men that has got some respect for the people of our land though I don’t now what he is for. It is hard to trust any man these days for money is all they care for.
I should like to hear from you now. I must soon come to a close for my mind is bothered so that I cannot form a letter together, there is so much fuss in the camp and there is no shade—only in the tents, and we have not got any tents yet only we put up some of our blankets to stay under. But when it rains, they don’t do much good. All the volunteers went over here have got tents.
When this you see remember me though for away. I have wrote you two small letters and I hope I will receive an answer before I write again. Direct your letters to Richmond Virginia Company H, 15th N C Regiment, in care of Capt. Stone.
—Daniel Wilson
1 Daniel places this tethered balloon ascent on 10 August 1862. Thaddeus Lowe’s Balloon Corps were known to be deployed with the Army of the Potomac at Harrison’s Landing where the aeronauts operated from naval vessels along the James River in July and apparently August. McClellan’s army began departing Harrison’s Landing on 14 August 1862, just three days after this letter.
Spared & Shared 23 