Item Description: Letter dated 7 May 1864 from Bryan Grimes to his wife, Charlotte Emily Bryan Grimes. He writes about the lewdness of Yankees, based on letters he has seen to Union wives. Bryan Grimes (1828-1880) was a cotton planter of Pitt County, N.C., and a Confederate Army officer.
Item Citation: Letter dated 7 May 1864, in the Bryan Grimes Papers, #292, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Item Transcription:
William Anderson was killed Cal Army mortally wounded H Cal Davidson prisoners – young Haymond of Raleigh Battle Field Saturday [?] wounded – night May 7th 1864 My Dear Wife, Another day has passed and I’m happy to say that I have been present am well and safe. The enemy have been active but have accomplished nothing at all. They are regarded as badly whipped and greatly demoralized and from the tenor of this correspondence between wives, sweethearts and husbands. No people could be more demoralized in general character than thousands for the most obscene prints and letters expressing ideas that the modest and [?] would blush upon its [?] and the autumn ought to [?] any perusals but alas committing such lewdness to paper – [?] my morals was shocked upon the perusal [?] [?] of such debased thoughts cannot hope to be otherwise then disputed it should be a judgment from above for their lewdness. No modest wife would consider such ideas – My dearest I think this campaign will soon terminate and I at last return to you and if the present indication [?] my convictions to judge [?] it will soon be doneThis [?] herself is waiting for this letter I wrote to you both this morning and last night [?] [?] [?]Affectionately your husband