This letter was written by 36 year-old Nancy Redd (Alley) Vernon (1826-1909) to her 40 year-old husband, Richard (“Dick”) Anderson Vernon (1822-1863) of Beaver Island, Stokes county, North Carolina. Dick enlisted with Co. H, 22nd North Carolina Infantry on 1 March 1862. He was wounded during the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville, Va.) on 26 June 1862, not long after mustering into the regiment, but survived only to die of disease at his home on 6 May 1863, leaving Nancy and her seven children. Three of her youngest children are mentioned in this letter, John Buchanon (“Buck”) Vernon (b. 1857), Marcella Vernon (b. 1859) and the babe Ruth (b. 1862). Dick was buried at home in the Buffalo Cemetery but lies in an unmarked grave.

Nancy’s letter is profoundly distressing as she recounts the severe hardships she faces at home in his absence. One can clearly discern why many Confederate soldiers chose to desert or remain on extended furloughs under such circumstances. Receiving reports of this nature would undoubtedly have had a serious, adverse impact on morale.

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

Stokes county, North Carolina

November 16th 1862

My dear husband,

I am once more permitted the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I just received your letter that you wrote the 3rd and 6th of November. I got your letter the 13th of this instant. I was very glad to hear from you though I was sorry to hear you had such a bad cold and to hear you was so painafted [?]. I was very sorry to hear of any more fighting. I was in hopes there wouldn’t be any more fighting.

This leaves us all well—[no] more than bad colds. I have a very bad [cold] myself. The babe has most got well of the whooping cough so I hope when these few lines come to hand, they may find you in the best of health.

Dick, I had to tato py [potato pie] for dinner today. I wish you had some of it to eat. Dick, you never wrote whether you got them apples and potatoes that i sent you or not. I want to know. Dick, you sent me 23 dollars here and told me to use it to the best advantage. I don’t [know] what to do with it. I can’t lend it out to nobody that is good [for it] nor I don’t no what to do with it. I wish you was here and you would know what to do with it yourself. Everything is so high. Nobody can’t buy nothing. I want some leather to make the children all some shoes. The worst of anything, we won’ have any meat enough and it will be so high we can’t buy it.

Dick, my hand is so numb, I can’t half write. You must excuse me. Dick, you said I hurt your feelings. I didn’t write nothing [ ] to hurt your feelings. Ben’s children told your children that their [ ] said you give him that little piece of land. I only wrote it to you to be satisfied about it. You needn’t to go mad with me about it. I only wanted to know whether you did or not. So enough of that, Dick.

It is raining now and is very cold. I wished you was here where you could be in your new house where you could keep dry and warm and to stay with me these long cold nights. Dick, I feel very lonesome and bad. I want to see you very bad at this time. Dick, the children all says they want to see you very bad and wants you to come home and make then some shoes. I know you are most naked and bare footed. I want to know what you do for stockings. I am a knitting you some stockings and want you to have them.

Dick, I only wrote to you about reinmustering [reenlisting] because Sarah Jane has told it all about in the neighborhood that I was the cause of you reenlisting. She got mad about your mule. She wants it to hitch with Shole’s mule to Shole’s buggy to go to Associations. You know Mike was hitched to a buggy so I will stop that.

Dick, I want to see you bad and if I never see you no more, I will never be satisfied in this world again. Dick, if the children don’t get no shoes, we will all freeze to death this winter for I can’t get fire wood and feed and do everything else. I am able to stand everything. Dick you wrote us word you did not want me to forsake you. No, that is something I can’t do, for you are my heart’s delight. If it was not for you and the children, I wouldn’t care to live in this unfriendly world any longer. So I don’t want you to think that I will ever forsake you.

Dick, times is hard here. Everything is high here. Dick, the soldiers that passes the road here is a getting very causy [?]. I want you to come home, Dick, to your wife and children once more.

Dick, there is so much news a going here that it is no use to write everything that you hear. Dick, your father’d folks is all well at this time and tell [George] Will Shaffer that his folks is all well. And tell Sam Trogdon his folks is all well. And tell George [S.] Jackson his folks is all well. And tell Rolly [G.] Amos his folks is all well at present. So I will stop that.

Dick, I dreamed last Sunday night of being with you and awoke and I wished it was so. Dick, your sweet little sugar lump is a saying pappy now and it almost breaks my heart to hear it. Dick, it almost kills me to hear the babe say Father and to hear Buck and Marcella talk about Father when I can’t see him. Dick I want you to think about me and your poor little children every day. Dick, I think about old times some times and it brings tears to my eyes. Oh Dick, if I [could just] see you one more time.

So I will bring my awkward letter to a close by saying I hope that the Lord will be with you and me forever and cause us to love each other forever. I only hope that the good Lord will bless you and keep you from all evil and from all kinds of wickedness adn cause you to love and serve Him throughout your days and keep you from the hand of the enemy. So no more—only I remain your loving wife until death. So hear is my heart and hand. Take it and remember me as long as I live.

Nancy Vernon to my loving husband Richard Vernon