The following letter was written by Thomas Norfleet Jordan (1842-1903) who entered the Confederate service as a private in Co. B, 5th North Carolina Infantry in mid June 1861 at Weldon. He was described in muster rolls at the time as a 19 year-old, 5 foot 10 inch, blue-eyed, dark-haired clerk from Gates county, North Carolina. He was soon promoted to corporal and then to sergeant prior to the evacuation of Yorktown. In September 1862, he was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of Co. F. He was taken prisoner at Plymouth, North Carolina, in December 1862 and then paroled. Early in 1863, he was promoted to Captain of Co. F. He was still the captain of his company on 12 May 1864 when he was wounded in the right arm so severely that it required amputation to save is life. After recuperating in a hospital at Gordonsville, he returned to service in Petrie’s Invalid Corps in January 1865.
Thomas was the son of Thomas A. and Nancy (Norfleet) Jordan of Gates county, North Carolina—some 40 or 50 miles from Norfolk, Virginia and 20 south of Suffolk. One source on Ancestry.com gives “Desdemonia” as the plantation name of the house owned by Thomas and Nancy (Norfleet) Jordan, pictured below.
Note: This letter is from the private collection of Chase Rhodes and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
In the woods near Richmond, Va.
May 25th 1862
My dear Father,
Onceagain another glorious privilege has presented itself to me of writing you & one indeed which I can by no means slide & let pass unnoticed. Yeas, a privilege which I thought would never, at least for some time present itself. But I am proud that such an opportunity should present itself. Mr. Hays’ (William) heard of the sickness of his son Tom and came up to Richmond to see him. I learn he leaves tomorrow. There is nothing that I hear of interesting about here. All of our troops are concentrated here and around here. Everything seems favorable for a fight very soon. The enemy, I hear, are close at hand.
Oh Pa! how it pained me to hear of the evacuation of Norfolk. I suppose all that part of the country is now overrun with Yankees destroying everything as they go. All kinds of depredations will no doubt be resorted to, and not one hand of resistance can be raised. But I am fully of the opinion that there is a brighter day not far in the future when those vile hoods will have to pay for all their meanness. What a low, contemptible, mean piece of business in them—a people boasting of possessing principles of humanity, to stoop to such acts as have been resorted to by the Yankees. Burning and destroying personal property, not even allowing you to retain a small quantity upon which to subsist. I suppose they destroyed barn, warehouse and stables. All of your corn & fodder too? Oh Pa, it is a species of warfare that I thought a people, civilized as they are, and possessing such principles as they boast of, could ever resort to. But I am convinced that that they will resort to anything to subjugate us.
Lincoln declares himself that he will arm the Negroes if no other method will do. What an idea! Arm the Blacks to fight the Whites! Oh! ain’t that sufficient to make any man desperate? I fear that this war will not be the [ ] that was fought.
And Rios 1 left you? That surprised me still more. Strange indeed why he should have acted so. But if he’s rather be there than with you, let him go. We are independent without him. I am sure he will repent it yet. I suppose Jack Fairless [?] has command of that portion of the country. He leads them on in their career of destruction. What did he say he had against you so particular? One who has been a friend to him. I wish I could cross him once more. Pa, did Rios leave with those fellows that burned the barn? Go off before your face? What did he say to you when he left, or before he left? I hope none others have followed his example. If I thought there was, I would like to have him with me.
Well, Pa, I guess we shall see each other no more soon—if ever. All communication is cut off and oh! how it grieves me. I don’t think it would be prudent for you to come to see me now. [Even] if you could get here, you might not get back. That would be the difficulty. If you could, how glad I would be. How bad I want to see you, as all the rest.
We have received orders to cook three days rations. Something is going to be done soon, I expect. I am anxious for it to come. I hail the deciding day. I am becoming very tired of this business. The retreat from Yorktown here liked to used me up, as they say. I never was so tired of walking in my life and the exposure to which we are subject to. We never get a tent. If we see one a week, we are doing well. I wish I had a boy with me. I have become tired of so much cooking myself, & washing too. But if I can’t get one, I shall do the best I can.
I wrote Cousin Sal a letter some time go by Ben Knite of Cal. I wonder if she received it? In it I told her of the Battle of Williamsburg which I was in. And through a Divine Providence, I came out safe, though my gun was struck by a ball which very much injured the stock of her but which saved my life, no doubt. I feel quite proud of it, but very thankful that I escaped so fortuitously.
Well, dear Pa, I must close. Farewell. Pray earnestly for my protection. I feel that God will protect me through all evils to return to the bosom of my friends again. Give my best love to all the family at Uncle’s—Uncle Walton, Cousin Daniels, Uncle Seth’s and everyone, yourself not excepted. Kiss the dear little boys for me. Tell them I hope I shall see them again soon. Now goodbye dear Pa, and may a brighter day soon dawn upon, when we may all meet in triumph in peace, to enjoy the fruits of our labors. And may the God of Battles protect us and keep us safe from all dangers and protect us to meet again soon is the earnest prayer of your devoted son, — Tommie
I wrote Brother [John B. Jordan] yesterday, directed it to Kinston. I hope he will get it. Col. [Duncan Kirkland] McRae’s official report of the fight is out in which you will see that we made a most heroic display of bravery. The gallant charge of the 5th North Carolina 2 is in the mouth of everybody most. We have immortalized ourself. Tha Yankees give us the praise. Say it was the most brilliant charge ever made. We are praised by everyone who meet us. We can hear the people talking of us wherever we go—that is, the 5th North Carolina who fought so desperately in that last battle. And so we did. Never did men fight with more courage and bravery than we did.
Goodbye Pa. Your true son, — Tommie
T. N. Jordan
P. S. I am very well. My health was never better. It has been nearly all the time. I have not time to read my letter so excuse all mistakes.
1 Rios was probably the name of a family slave belonging to the Jordans. Once Union troops began to infiltrate inland from Norfolk, a number of slaves were enticed to run away from their masters, seeking the protection of Federal army.
2 The 5th North Carolina was commanded by Colonel D.R. McRae. It was ordered to Williamsburg and marched to the Campus of the College of William and Mary in a light rain. Moved around 3 p.m. to the left flank of Longstreet’s line. Moved into the open into heavty artillery fire and attacked Hancock’s Union brigade along with the 24th Virginia. The attack came within 20 yards of the Federal line before it was forced to withdraw due to heavy casualties. Lieutenant Colonel Badham was killed, Major Sinclair was wounded and Captains Thomas Garrett and John W. Lea were wounded and captured.
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