The following letter was written by Georgia Ann Magruder (1840-1909), the daughter of Maj. John Archibald Magruder (1805-1887) and Mary Ann Wilder (1819-1895) of Sharon, Madison county, Mississippi. Georgia mentions her sister “Joe” in the first sentence of her letter. Joe was Josaphine America Magruder (1838-1885). She mentions her brother Henry in the second paragraph. He was Henry Archibald Magruder (1841-1896). The sister that she must have written this letter to would have been Martha Baldwin Magruder (1843-1898) who married James Hopkins (1839-1904), the son of William Hopkins (1805-1863) and Emma Goodwyn Hopkins (1808-1868) of Richland county, South Carolina. James Hopkins attended the University of Virginia and served in Co. B of the 9th South Carolina Infantry and Co. K of the 4th South Carolina Cavalry. He was wounded on Oct. 22, 1862, at the Second Battle of Pocotaligo and was captured at the Battle of Matadequin Creek, Va., on May 30, 1864. He was held as a prisoner of war at Point Lookout, Md., until he was exchanged in March 1865.

Georgia Ann Magruder was married to Dr. Isaac Asbury Shelby (1833-1909) in 1866 and had at least four children. She was born in Taliaferro county, Georgia, but lived most of her life in Madison county, Mississippi. Georgia’s letter was datelined “Oakland” which I believe must have been the name of her father’s plantation in Madison county. We learn from her letter that Georgia was employed as a private tutor and had as many as 12 scholars in 1861.

Georgia’s letter refers to a Confederate soldier known as “Kit,” a prevalent diminutive for Christopher, who appears to have originated from Madison County. This soldier faced disciplinary action for the act of scalping a Union soldier, supposedly as a war trophy intended for a female acquaintance. The identity of this soldier remains unclear.

[Note: This letter is from a private collection ^(RM) and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

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

Oakland
September 23, 1861

My dear sister,

Sister Joe received your short letter last week and we are glad to know that you are still enjoying good health. I spent last week in Leake county [Mississippi] and found all our relations well except Grandma who had had chills, but had succeeded in breaking them. Uncle [Henry] Hill was married about two weeks ago to the Widow [Nancy] McCulloch of Conway. I did not approve of the match. In the first place, she has two children and is only twenty-six years old and I do not think her capable of taking charge of the children. Cousins Eubulous, Clay, and Tom [Hill] are all in the Army. ¹ Their company is at Brookhaven [Mississippi] but I heard last Saturday that they were ordered to go to Kentucky in a week or two. Cam Leflore ² is out on a visit but will leave in a few days to join a company in Arkansas. Joe will remain with her relatives.

Aunt Martha [Magruder Baldwin] sent to Canton today for Cousin Will [Owen Baldwin (1839-1911)]. He was discharged on account of his ill health. I and Mit will go to see him tomorrow night. Celeste Hayes came home last week. I have not seen her but I heard that she had grown quite tall. You will come in December. Then all the family will be at home but brother Henry.

Aunt Sarah [Magruder] Scott [wife of Elias Scott] will bring Winkey and Missie down next week to school. I think I will have my hands full when I get my twelve little scholars. Pomp is sitting by me studying Geography and says I must not forget to tell you that he made this ink. He is always experimenting on something. He and Bud Solomon are knitting comforters for the soldiers. They are learning as fast as any little boys can. Mit is studying music but declares she will never learn it, or at least she is afraid she will not.

We received a letter from Uncle Drane today stating that Virg ³, Mr. Staples, and Shaw are in the Army. Cotton crops were very promising until we had a wet spell and since then the farmers do not think they will average more than half a crop. Beck will be down soon to spend some time. I would not be surprised if she and George Thompson marry before next year although his wife has not been dead but four months.

Pompey Scott went to Leesburg to join Hill’s company and lost all his money before he reached the place.

Every lady on the county are sewing or knitting for the soldiers.

I have bad news to tell you about Kit. He was scalping a Yankee and was put on double duty for it. He said he promised to send a young lady a Yankee’s scalp and that was the cause of the punishment he had. Tell me in your next if you are the lady that Kit was working for.

Pa does not think it necessary that you and Cartagenia [Scott] remain in Salem longer than this year for he has concluded to bring you home and sending you to me two years. You will do to quit school. Mr. [William] Stigler has joined the Army, so Pa is his own overseer.

I intend putting Willie in reading next week. He is very smart. He says he wants to see sissie Morphy. Beulah and Fannie are the prettiest and smartest children in Madison county. Esq. Ried came home with me from Carthage. I do not think there is another school besides mine in the county. I am certain there is none unless they are in the lower part of the county.

Pomp had a chill yesterday but says I must tell you he is well and hardy. Mother says what has become of that gentleman you got acquainted with in Thompson.

I have written all I can think of so I will close by asking you to write soon. Yours affectionate sister, — Georgia

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¹ Eubulius, Henry Clay, and Thomas Hill were the three eldest sons of Henry Hill (1811-1884) who came to Landes county, Mississippi, from Warren county, Georgia. He was the son of Fielding Hill (1791-1845) and Isabella Gibson (1794-1834). Henry was married 1st to Sarah J. [unknown], and second to Nancy Elizabeth Phillips McCullough of Conway.

² Lewis Campbell (“Cam”) Leflore (1836-1876) was the son of Benjamin L. Leflore and Mary DE Juzan. He was married to Josephine (“Joe”) B. Carrington (b. 1834) and lived in Leake county, Mississippi.

3 I believe this was Virgil Leigh Drane (1832-1903) was the son of James Drane (1808-1869). James was married first to Matilda Blanche Shaw (1813-1859) in 1840. He married second to Amelia S. Edwards in 1862.

With more time I could probably identify these female correspondents but they most certainly lived in Mississippi and their “men folk” were in the Confederate service.

Transcription

Pleasant Valley [Mississippi]
January 2nd, 1864

Dear Emily,

Your letter of the 9th of January was heartily welcomed yesterday, but it got a good airing and a sulphuric smoking before it was read as the smallpox is at the Post Office whence it came. I shall send this to a different Post Office to be mailed. Direct your next letters to Lt. Stephens. I thank you most heartily for the money, but you ought not to have sent it as you may need it more yourself.  My horse and saddle brought me $425.  I gave $250 to your brother John, which was all he would take, and he had to pay John Scott $100 which he had borrowed from him in order to keep for him as he was gambling all his money away and lost it.  Mr. Haile told us some very amusing episodes in cousin John’s military career. He is a very independent soldier. His gun is always so rusty that it is utterly impossible for it to be discharged. However, John goes into the fight and looks on.

I wonder if I wrote to you how much trouble Mr. Haile had in rejoining his regiment. He was arrested as a horse thief about 50 miles from here and sent to the guard house at Enterprise where he remained four days among 50 of the lowest wretches in Christendom, and with the smoke enough to put his eyes out and with no covering (whereby he caught such a cold that he was for a few days unable to travel) for the man who arrested him took his horse, baggage, and blankets, mentioning in his letter of arrest that he was a suspicious character, having a fine horse and two fine blankets. What has the Confederacy come to when the possession of a fine horse and blankets shall denote the possessor a thief.

He was taken from Enterprise to Meridian and put in the guard house where he heard of Gen. French as being at Brandon. He got permission to go to him under guard and in five minutes was released. He got a letter from Gen. Forney to regain his property and got back to Camp Pony the 28th of December.  He called upon Mrs. Pinckney Smith at Jackson and had a very pleasant time. Yesterday, I got a letter from him dated the 4th of January—one month ago—giving another paragraph in the chapter of misfortunes, which is far worse than all.

Directly upon arriving at camp, feeling tired, he lay down in Sgt. Wolf’s shanty and 20 minutes after heard a crash and down came the whole edifice upon his right side. The next thing he knew he was laying in the Captain’s tent and the men around him trying their best to bring him to.  He suffered with intense pain across the chest and back and with a great difficult in breathing. After a week had passed, he was removed in an ambulance to Mr. Hill’s—one of his mess mates not far from Jackson—where he is most comfortably situated and most kindly treated by the family occupying the house. He wrote that I must not be uneasy about him as he was getting better, and that if he was not well in a week or two, he should apply for a sick furlough, and if he got one should bring Henry with him to help him in and out of the cars. He must be badly crippled to need Henry’s assistance but he must be either well or unable to get a furlough as he has not come yet and that is a month ago. His letter only reached me yesterday.  I shall telegraph to him tomorrow.  The house that fell on him was built of heavy oak rails and covered on the top with dirt.  In the center, supporting the roof, was a very heavy oak heart rail.  This broke and precipitated the whole upon him. It took twenty men to raise the mass so that he could be got out.  It was most certainly a special providence that he was not crushed to death.

I quote from your brother’s letter – “Large members of negroes are making raids through Washington County. They burned Judge [William] Yerger‘s house. Captain Blackburn ¹ was taken prisoner in his own house. I sent word to brother to come and see me but the message got there too late—he had gone to Washington Co.  I am afraid that mother is in trouble.”

Do you ever hear from Mother now?  I do not excepting indirectly. I am very heartily glad to hear of the Doctor’s good fortune and hope it may long be continued.  Have you yet come to my decision that the Doctor is in more danger in the army than acting as a practicing country physician? You know we used to have some disputes upon that subject.  

Did you get my letter enclosing some letting [?] for your baby?  I received the fifty dollars, and acknowledged it in due time. Nannie often talks about her “sweet little Cassie” and sends her kisses. I am sure that they will love one another and I hope that they may meet someday not far distant.  I would like so much to see your boy.  Have you yet named him? Ducky is a good and merry child and is getting better looking than formerly. Her little ways often remind me of your little Nannie. She is very backward and does not talk, though her face expresses most anything she wishes understood. She says four or five words and does not walk alone though she tries hard but seems not strong enough. Mrs. Starling and I get along splendidly. I have never ceased to congratulate myself that I did not go to Deer Creek—especially since the negroes are acting in so unaccountable a manner. I give out the meal, teach Anna (who is an apt and willing pupil) and do other friendly offices as opportunity offers. I shall send this letter to Dayton to be posted so you need not be afraid of contagion. Yours with much love, — Amanda

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¹ Possibly George T. Blackburn (1825-1870). He married Mary Bell Johnson in 1859 in Washington county, Mississippi. He served in Co. O in the 28th Cavalry. Buried in Lexington, Fayette county, Mississippi.

This letter was written by Sallie S. Green (1845-1917), the daughter of Bishop William Mercer Green (1798-1887) and Charlotte Isabella Fleming (1810-1860) of Jackson, Hinds county, Mississippi. She would later marry John Mercer Cotten (1842-1915), a veteran of Co. G, 7th Tennessee Infantry and Co. K, 7th Tennessee Cavalry.

Transcription

Madison Station
January 22d 1865

Dear Brother,

As I have written Lilly two letters, I think it is your turn now. I have been here ever since I left Jackson except last Sunday when I went out to church. I staid all day with Aunt Johnson & promised to go back in two or three days to stay with them, but [illegible] I have not broke them yet. I have got to go to bed today to keep off one. I have not had heard a word from home but hope you are all well. The railroad has been out of order & there has only been two trains to Jackson since I came. Sister Ella is having chills as bad as we were, only hers comes every third day. I am having a very pleasant time but as soon as I pay a short visit to Maggie Britton, I think I shall start home. Tell Lilly [that] Mary Cameron has been to call on me & sends her best love to her. Tell Pa [that] sister Ella says please get her a bolt of unbleached domestic & bring it with him next time he comes & she will pay him immediately. She wants to send the money but the mails are so uncertain she is afraid to trust it. I’m told it could be bought for four dollars a yard but she says she will give five, if the price has raised as it is seven dollars here.

I would write you a longer letter but I can tell you everything so much better when I see you that I will close now with love to all. Your affectionate sister, — Sally