Item Description: Letter dated 25 July 1864 from Eliza Murphy Walton to her son, John “Jock” Walton, Company F, 41st Regiment N.C. Troops (3rd Cavalry).
Item Citation: Letter dated 25 July 1864, in the Thomas George Walton Papers #748, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Item Transcription:
Creek Side July 25 My dear Jock The second letter from you since you left Petersburg was received the 10 day of May. We was so glad to hear you were well also one from Jink he is safe tho he does not mention his health. I suppose it is good he had not been so fortunate as you in his first accounts of the raid as he heard our place was destroyed. You have not received Mary’s letter written directly to you after your Aunt Louretta’s death. I hope you have before this as it gave you all the particulars. She seemed very gratified at you being so thoughtful of her and seeming so anxious about her. She was only rational at very short intervals for two days before she died. It was one of the saddest events of my life, only three sisters and one of them gone. Eliza is at Mr Erwins & will spend the summer with them. She looks very badly. W. W. Avery died of the wounds he received two days after he made a will and left Alphonso his Esecutor, who is here now and intends on resigning. Uncle Molton did not make a will and his family are troubled about getting someone to attend to his business. Lizzie is in great distress. Mr Houke was also wounded in the raid very badly. I hope we will not sufferer again as there is a Reg and 2 companies of cavelry here now and your father is appointed Col of the Home Guard. The Reg is the adjoining counties. The Cavelry companies pursued a band of deserters and Yankees and captured 27 of them a couple days ago. Your aunt Mary has been very sick with the measles her recovering was thought doubtful for a few days. Mr. Caldwell also has them badly. Maggie is still at home & will remain a week longer. Miss Lounders is with her. Ella Erwin will return with them. Frank Craig and Tom McEntire were here at the time of the raid and gave all the assistance in their power. Frank has been sick ever since. Dr. Pearson was wounded in the knee and will be a long time recovering. Old Chandler Foster of the one in Capt. P- Company was killed. We have had a very long dry spell, our gardens and fields are all suffering for rain very much. We have had a splendid crops of black berries. I am glad to get milk and butter now. I know you enjoy it so much. Jink said in his letter he was going to Richmond on a pleasure trip. They are very near it now and said all the Officers had been nearby and they wanted to get away from the Yanks a while. Willie Avery’s wound is very painful and he is very much reduced in flesh. I did not think you had much to spare when you left home. How do you look? How are your boots holding out? I suppose you got a supply. Lola and Mary are going to town and will send a letter to you and ink to put in the office. I hope you will soon be at some place where you can write regularly and get letters from home. Hugh and Herbert are as bad as every. They are out all the time in the sun. Do write again soon. I will make May write you soon before she leaves home. Your devoted mother E.M. Walton Have your daugerotype taken before you write again.