Category Archives: Southern Historical Collection

19 March 1865: “The services of the named telegraph operators are needed”

Item Description: A letter requesting more telegraph operators from the army. This is an official paper of the Confederate Army. Item Citation: From Unit 9,  in the Confederate Papers #172, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina … Continue reading

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18 March 1865: “I will be 27 years old, almost four years older than when you last saw me.”

Item Description: In a letter dated 18 March 1865, Felix Buchanan rights home and discusses the scarcity of mail, that his age was 27, that he had been wounded three times since last writing home, and that he had not been … Continue reading

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16 March 1865: “There is now no prospect of any fighting in my command”

Item Description: A letter from E.P. Alexander to his wife describing a social call made to nearby family, which was motivated by his missing his family. He discusses how he feels his command has been well protected.   Item Citation: From … Continue reading

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15 March 1865: “If you can’t get the gold I would get the things wh. you will most surely want, & get yourself some more green tea now while you can. I can’t bear to think of your getting out of it.”

Item description: Letter, dated 15 March, 1865, from Edward Porter Alexander to his wife Bettie Mason Alexander. [Item transcription available below images.] Item citation: From the Edward Porter Alexander Papers, #7, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North … Continue reading

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14 March 1865: “I think I shall like the army first rate.”

Item Description: Letter dated 14 March 1865 from Edmund Jones, Jr. to his father Edmund Jones. He had recently joined the army after studying at Bingham Academy. After the war, he would go on to study at the University of … Continue reading

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13 March 1865: “I waded through swamps and thickets all day hunting for Clingman’s brigade”

Item Description: This letter is family correspondence between members of Thompson family who lived in North Carolina. It describes the movements of several regiments in North Carolina as well as the suspected location of General Sherman’s army. He also mentions the poor … Continue reading

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12 March 1865: “All communication in the way projected has been stopped at least for the present- we can only communicate by flag of truce”

Item Description: Letter written by John Kimberly to his wife Bettie.  He writes about the lack of communication to and from Chapel Hill and the resulting sadness he feels from being cut off from his family.  He hopes that they … Continue reading

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10 March 1865: “if this want of trains can be ascertained to last two or three days longer there troops would save time by marching to the same parts.”

Item Description: John Marshall Otey was assistant adjutant general under General P. G. T. Beauregard during the Civil War. The collection consists of one letter, 10 March 1865, from E. Willis to Colonel John Marshall Otey (J. M. Otey), discussing … Continue reading

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9 March 1865: “if I do not succeed will pursue my journey home the best way I can”

Item Description: Letter dated 9 March 1865 to Archibald Henderson from his servant (or slave) Henderson. It seems that Anderson was a slave belonging to Archibald Henderson who was hired out to a Mr. Wilkins in Wilmington. Item Citation: Folder … Continue reading

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8 March 1865: “The Army I am sorry to say is deserting very badly”

Item Description: Letter dated 8 March 1865 to Edmund Walter Jones from his son, also named Edmund. Edmund Jr., also called “Coot” was serving briefly in the 3rd North Carolina Cavalry. Before the serving, he studied at Bingham Academy. After … Continue reading

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