The following letter was written by Luke Palmer Hurt Trapley (1841-1862) who enlisted as a corporal in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, to serve in the Whitmell Guards (Co. D) of the 38th Virginia Infantry. He was later promoted to sergeant and had the honor of being named the color bear during the Seven Days Battles on the Peninsula. He and Corporal Cornelius Gilbert of Co. D, as well as Private Churchwell Parker of Co. F each fell mortally wounded while bearing the colors in advance of the regiment during the charges at the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862.

The 38th Regiment, Virginia Infantry was recruited in Pittsylvania, Halifax, and Mechlenburg counties. It served under the command of Generals Early, Garland, Armistead, Barton, and Steuart. The 38th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Gettysburg, then served in North Carolina. Later it was attached to the Department of Richmond, fought at Drewry’s Bluff and Cold Harbor, endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches, and ended the war at Appomattox. The regiment totaled 544 effectives in April, 1862, and sustained 9 casualties at Williamsburg, 147 at Seven Pines, 94 at Malvern Hill, and 16 in the Maryland Campaign. More than 55 percent of the 400 engaged at Gettysburg were disabled and it reported 11 killed, 30 wounded, and 10 missing at Drewry’s Bluff. The unit surrendered 12 officers and 82 men.

Luke was the son of Luke Palmer Tarpley (1810-1856) and Nancy Perkins Hurt (1817-Aft1880) of Pittsylvania county, Virginia. In the 1860 US Census, we learn that Nancy took her mail at the Chestnut Grove Post Office of Pittsylvania county, that her real estate was valued at 1,600 dollars, and her personal property was valued at 5,000 dollars which was largely due to the five slaves she owned.

Luke wrote the letter to Mary (“Mollie”) H. Swanson, the sister of Samuel Allen Swanson (1838-1862) who also served in Co. D, 38th Virginia Infantry.  In June 1861, he was elected 2nd Lieutenant of the company. He was killed in the Battle of Seven Pines near Richmond on 31 May 1862. Mollie’s parents were John Swanson (1802-1882) and Julie B. Cook (1802-1868) of Swansonville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. See also—1861: Samuel Allen Swanson to Mollie Henrie Swanson

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

Camp Edmonds ¹ [near Centreville, Virginia]
September 20, 1861

Miss Mollie H. Swanson,

Dear friend, I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines in reply to your very welcome letter which I received a few days since. I was much pleased to get a letter from you as none of you has thought enough of me to write since I left. I had just concluded the day I received your letter that you girls certainly must be the worst girls about writing in the world as none of you would write atall and I had laid up a quarrel for every one of you but none that you have written to me. I will not quarrel with you any but tell the rest of the girls to look out for twelve months ain’t always.

I will now try and give some of the news of the day. There is a great deal of sickness in camp at present. Our captain [Ralph Clement Herndon] is complaining some but nothing serious. Lieutenant [Napoleon] Price ² is very sick. He has the fever. Our company are improving some. We have only 24 on the sick list, if I ain’t mistaken. Sam [Swanson] is well and hearty and looks better than I ever saw him. It is hard for me to decide which is the best looking—myself or Sam. We both look so well, it is hard to make a decision.

You ask me if I had a chance at the Yankees heads yet. I am sorry to say I have not for every time they hear of the 38th, they put out. We went out at Winchester to give them a round and why did we? There was no Yankees there. They fought over the left shoulder. They had better travel when the 38th breaks out—more particular, the Whitmell Guards [of Co. D].

You said you think that I would like very well to see a certain young lady. I will admit to that. I would like very well to see you all. I would be pleased to know the secret yuo and Miss Patsy found out for I am anxious to know it. I want to know what you call a secret.

Well I know you will get tired of my nonsense, therefore I will try and write something else. You told me to give your love to Oliver and take good care of him. I have given him your love and also have taken as good care of him as I could possibly do. I have to stand guard every day or two from the fact we have so much sickness in our company. I went to see him as often almost as one of my own brothers. I am happy to say that he is improving and if no bad accident happens to him, he will soon be able for service again. I will now close my madly written letter as I expect to send this by Capt. Hall and he will give you all the news. Write soon to your friend, – L. P. H. Tarpley

P.S. Please excuse bad writing and spelling. Give my love to your father’s family, Capt. Hall, and also mother’s family. Goodbye until I hear from you again. — L. P. H. T.

P. S. Tell old man Cook I would be pleased to hear from him. — Doc

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¹ The camp was named after Col Edmonds, the commander of the 38th Virginia Infantry. He was killed on July 3, 1863 during Pickett’s Charge. His command was part of Gen Lewis Armistead’s that followed Pettigrew’s and Trimble’s into the field. After marching west, the command turned and headed northeast. Col. Edmonds was killed about 30 feet from the Angle. He was buried on the field and later exhumed and is now buried at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond.

² Napoleon Price (1840-1862) was 1st Lieutenant of Co. D, 38th Virginia. He was critically wounded in the charge of Malvern Hill near Richmond on July 1, 1862, and died in the Richmond hospital two days later.

The following letters were written by Samuel Allen Swanson (1838-1862), the son of John Swanson (1802-1882) and Julie B. Cook (1802-1868) of Swansonville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. Samuel enlisted in Co. D (“Whitmell Guards”) 38th Virginia Infantry, in June 1861 and he was elected 2nd Lieutenant. He was killed in the Battle of Seven Pines near Richmond on 31 May 1862. A comrade in Co. D wrote the following lines in honor of the fallen lieutenant.

“Here in the firm embrace of death
Young Swanson calmly, sweetly sleeps—
The soul its earthly home has left,
Forever flown from mangled heaps.
Farewell! you’re gone, but not forever;
In Heaven Death’s hand cannot us sever—
In that bright home we’ll live together,
Where love nor friendship does.”

Samuel wrote both letters to his younger sister, Mary Henrie Swanson (1843-1904).

Letter 1

Camp Edmonds near Centre[ville]
October 5th [1861]

Sweet Sister Mollie,

It is with unfeigned pleasure I assure you that I acknowledged the reception of your highly interest[ing] letter of the 28th ult. which came to hand a few days ago and to which I hasten to reply. I am surprised to hear that you do not get any letters from me as I have written punctually once and often twice a week to some of you, and had commenced grumbling considerably myself because I did not receive any letters from home. But I suppose that it was owing to Capt. Hall’s being here and you heard from me through his letters. You doubtless have received the letters which I sent by him. I also wrote to you and Bettie the 2nd of this month. I have received no answer to the letter I sent Frank by Jim Tarpley. Did he get it or not? And if he did, why does he not answer it?

I did not get the shoes he sent by Jack Day so I cannot tell whether they fitted or not. Jack lost his knapsack on the way. The things I wrote to bro. Cook for had better be sent by Oliver as I do not suppose Col. Edmonds will get them. You can also send me a thick bed quilt, but I reckon you had better [wait] until we get into winter quarters before you send it. Tell Oliver not to forget that book I told him to get in Richmond as he came back—William’s Principles of Medicine. Tell Miss Pat not to wait too long before she sends some papers. My love to her and sister. I received a very nice box from cousin Bet Milliner and cousin Pat last week. How strange does such liberality appear when contrasted with the selfishness of some other relations of ours.

I suppose captain has told you all where are encamped. We have not moved since he left although we are daily looking for orders to leave. There has nothin new occurred since I last wrote down this way.—everything being very quiet down this way. Men generally seem in very fine spirits owing to our recent victories in Missouri and western Virginia. I am in very good health now—better than when the captain left as I had a very bad cold then.

When you write, give me all the news. Love to all and tell them to write. Write soon yourself to your affectionate bro., — Sam

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Letter 2

Camp Edmonds, Va.
October 27, 1861

Miss Mollie C. Swanson, fondly loved sister,

Your long looked for and highly interesting letter of the 5th inst. has been received and to which I hasten to respond, impelled alike by the selfish desire of again hearing from you, and in compliance with the promise I made you all just before leaving. All things you sent by Mr. Pritchett came safely to hand. The gloves are very nice indeed but they seem to have been knit for the left hand while both for the right have suited me better. The pants are very nice also but I would of prefered a grey or dark color as a very light color does not suit very well. Why is it that you all have quit writing to me? I do not receive a letter once a fortnight. You all must write oftener. Why does not cousin Sallie answer my letter? She has not concluded to drop me so unceremoniously from her list of correspondents, has she?

You have no doubt ere this received accurate accounts of the brilliant engagement that took place down here a few days ago. It has spoiled our prospects of a general engagement as McClellan will scarcely dare to make an attempt to take Centreville after having met with so disastrous a defeat at the outset of his campaign. Should he come, however, he will meet with a hearty reception as the troops seem anxious for a fight.

I had the pleasure of again seeing Gen. Johnston, Beauregard, Longstreet, and others the other day. I have been on picket since I last wrote. We had a very rough time of it as it was raining about twenty-four hours of the time but I do not think it has made any of us sick.

Tell Oliver he must be sure and get those books I told him about, namely Williams’ Principles of Physics and Hardee’s Tactics. If he cannot get Hardee’s, tell him to get the Volunteers Manual and Drill Book. Tell him to be sure to get them if he can as I am about to die of ennui. Tell Miss Pattie that she must write soon or I will conclude that she is tired of corresponding with an absent friend. Write soon, cery soon, to your affectionate brother, — Sam’l A. Swanson