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South Carolina C.S.A.
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South Carolina C.S.A. |
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Company C Sixteenth South Carolina and wife Martha Jane Styles |
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By Rev. J. Ernest Willis James Irvin Willis of Upper Greenville County The Letters of James I. Willis, from Rev. J. Ernest Willis James Irvin Willis was the second child, and the first to reach maturity, of Daniel and Elizabeth Clement Willis. He was born October 24, 1836 in upper Spartanburg District. He was literate and a musician. He was a music teacher. According to Nancy McCarrell, his youngest daughter, he taught singing school at Ebenezer Baptist Church near Travelers Rest. He met Martha Jane Styles teaching music and later married her. They married at her home near Pine Log Ford on the Enoree River on November 26, 1857. He moved to his fathers home and had his first two children Sallie and Henry. He purchased land adjoining his father from Isham Clement and sold it to his father in 1861 and moved to Beaverdam Creek in Northern Greenville County. He went to the army on July 22, 1862. James I. joined the 15th Palmetto – SC Volunteers (Note, He joined Company A of the P.B.L.A and later moved to Holtzclaw’s Company and then to Bowden’s Company, Companies H and I respectively.) For a while, he was stationed at Minotts Blutt, James Island, and (Minott's Bluff, near Charleston) later at the present Light House Point, on the Island. Near the close of the war, he was sent on detail to some place near Augusta, Georgia. A letter written by him from Spartanburg, SC, Dated April 4, 1865 states: “I was with Hood’s Army last fall (1864) in the Sixteenth SC Regiment. I got out two weeks ago (March, 1865). I am at fathers now. Father has but one boy with him and that is Daniel. Three brothers of James I. Willis, Marcus K. (M. Mck.), John and Rawly, had been killed in service and Perry was still away in the service." “I remember my grandfather, James I . Willis, as an old English type gentleman, a Christian, a church man – a Baptist. He was a member of Enoree church for a long time. He was “Singing Clerk” of the church for a long time. His oldest daughter was one of the first organist there. Later in life, when Locust Hill Baptist Church was organized, he moved his membership there. He was a faithful member there until his death in 1908. He lived to see twelve children grow to maturity. He is buried at Locust Hill Baptist Cemetery. Our blood line goes to the Revolution through his wife (Martha J. Styles) and Soloman Langston." In the small booklet prepared with great care by Reverend Willis, there are a number of letters of interest to the War Between the States reader. The letters shown here relate to the Sixteenth South Carolina only. There are other letters from his brothers who died in Virginia, particularly of interest are those written from Company E, Thirteenth South Carolina, Mcgown’s Brigade. Also located in the letters of J.I. Willis are those that relate to his service with Captain Holtzclaw’s and Captain Bowden’s Companies of the P.B.L.A. Some are duplicated here because they relate to the Sixteenth and the movement of men from Holtzclaw's and Bowden's Company to the Sixteenth S.C. |
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Dear Father I write you a few lines which leaves me well except toothache…… Was glad to hear from you. Was sorry to hear that Mother was sick…… We get only tolerable plenty to eat. We have a large company. They are talking of dividing it. I don’t know what they will do. Guard duty is not so heavy as it has been. We have four guns, one bridge to guard that takes 15 sentinels, 2 Corp. one sergeant. You wanted to know if we have any religious exercises. We do, here of late. Our preacher has been sick. We have preaching every night when the weather will permit. One preachers name is Hawkins and one by the name of Berry, son of our old preacher Berry, by the name of Joseph. His not verry able preacher. You wanted to know what salt was worth and if I could sent you some. I can send it if you want me to. Salt is worth eight 8 dollars per bushel. Some at 6. If you want any salt you can write to me and I will buy it for you…. James Green and Wm. Bramlett has come to our Co…… Jane has got her a negro boy to say with her. She gets him for his victuals…. Tell John to come and see me before he goes to Virginia if he can…. I sent one bushel and half salt home. The freight was 75 cts. Your affectionate son James I Willis You directed your letter to Co. A. That was a mistake. Ours is Company H. Dear Father:…. I wrote to you about a week ago but neglected to mail it. It was just as the fight commenced and I thought I would wait a few days. There has been a hard fight on Morris Island. They fit all day. I could hear them very plain. We are expecting a fight on this Island every day. We have been laying at out guns every night for a week. I have been out every night for the last five nights and stood guard three days and worked two days and today till dinner…. I stayed home 22 days. Jane was very sick while I was home. I had the doctor with her one time… she had a bilious attack. She is about well now…. I had a letter dated 8th. Sally and Theodore was sick…. I cant give you any particulars about the fight…. I am afraid we will have a hard time of it here…. This leaves me tolerable well. Your affectionate son, J.I.Willis (Written in Margin) I will have to frank this to you. I am out of stamps and have no change. Dear Father and Mother James Island Oct. 19, 1863. ……. I havent had any letter from you since sometime in Aug….. A detachment of 30 has gone to Johns Island ferry to take charge of some guns. They are all gone out of my mess but myself. There was one of mess died of typhoid.. his name was Wm. Bramlett ….. a neighbor of mine. Left a wife and five children… He said before he died he was prepared. I have been blessed with health. I had a letter from home today. They was all well. Jane has been looking forv you up some time. Father, I am going to send you 20 dollars to pay Uncle Isham Pollard and Mckallister… Jane said she wanted to see you come… Jas. Green has sold his steers for five hundred dollars…. She (Jane) wants her wool if you have shared her sheep. She has in some jeans and cant do any more to it till she gets some wool. Your affectionate son J.I. Willis Letter with no heading or date but written to his Father. I havent heard from home since last Monday. They was all well. I want you to carry Henry home as soon as you can. I want to see him if I get to go home. I don’t know whether I can come to see you all or not. We don’t get but 10 days furlough…. If I get off I will try to write you when I start home. We have organized a Sunday School in our Co. I hope it may do well. We have what we call a circulating library in the Co. but that don’t have anything to do with the Sunday School. The library consists religious books. We have regular meeting to meet and give up our book and get another to read. ….. We also have a lesson …. We don’t drill any now. Our guard duty is light but the don’t give us much to eat – such as meat. We get plenty of bred and dewberries – we could gather bushels of them….. Your affectionate son, J.I. Willis Dear Father and Mother: …. I received a letter from my husband Saturday dated 13. He was well. I went to see Caroline Dill yesterday. Street (Dill) starts to the army Thursday. Good by for this time. Martha J. Willis Greenville, SC August 16, 1863 Dear Sister, I avail myself of the present opportunity to write you…. I received a letter from my husband Thursday. He was well. He has been sick…. There is nothing but hard times and trouble up here. People are all tired of this war and seem to be in very low spirits. I believe the most of them think out success doubtful. I am out of heart myself… Some people made good wheat but most of the wheat has a heap of smut in it. Henry say he wants to go to grandpa’s. He wants to know if grandpa is coming after him. He says he is going home with grandpa and Sarah (Sallie) says she is going. The children all want to come to see you and I should be glad to come down myself but I don’t have any idea I will come…. Little John can walk. He has been walking nearly two months. He is another Henry. I never saw two children more alike in my life. Tell Perry he ought to have been here last week. The fox hunters were out several mornings. They have caught five. They say the have got all the gang. Their den is near my house. They caught nearly all of my chickens before they were caught. I think I can raise some now. Sister Louise sends her respect to you all. Henry wants to know if there are any watermellons at aunt Mary’s house. Monday 17. We are all well. The children all has a bad braking out…. William Dill’s wife died last Friday…… One of you must come and stay a few weeks with me, I am so lonsom. M.J.Willis Yours truly, M.J.W. Greenville, South Carolina May 16, 1864 Dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters - - I was glad to hear from you and hear you was all well and that the children was satisfied. I expect that they want to come home by this time. I wish I could see them but I cant come down now. Let me know how the children is doing. I am perfectly satisfied about them… Though I would like to have them at home, Theodore and Johny is fat and growing fine. They want to see Sally. Johny can talk some words…. I received a letter from my husband dated the (9th Inst) He was well. I have done planted my little crop of corn… I have a very nice garden. Write to me soon. Tell Sally and Henry to be good children. Yours Truly, Martha Jane Willis Greenville Aug. 7th, 1864, Sunday Evening, Dear Father and Mother, Brothers and sisters - - I will embrace the present opportunity of writing you… I have not heard one word from you since you were here… I have not had but one letter from my husband since he left me. He left this day was three weeks ago the 17 of July….. There has been a hard fight out there last week and that is all I can learn. I am so anxious to hear from there. I never knew what trouble was till now. For my husband was never in such a dangerous place before and to hear tell of such hard fighting and don’t know result in his fate is a hard trial. I did all I could to keep him at home longer but he would go. He and 7 others was all that went. The rest are all at home yet and all the young men are getting married. Captain Hotzclaw’s trial came off last week. I hear he has gained his Company bet do not know the certainty of it. Street Dill is at home and has been several weeks. He is in a bad fix. He has fits and I supose is a great trouble to his wife…. His daughter was married two weeks ago to a wounded soldier named Lynn….. A great many soldiers are at home sick…. Father I want you to sheer my sheep if you please for I will need the wool…… I am going to the office (The post officer was at Sandy Flat at this time.) tomorrow. If I hear anything I will write more there. Monday Aug. 8, I am at the office. No news from the army. Martha J. Willis Greenville, SC 17th Oct. 1864 Dear Brother – (Evidently Maston Styles) I will write you a few lines as I hear you are near my house and if you are at Marietta it is only about 10 miles distant and you must come and se me. We are all well. I received a letter from my husband dated 2 inst. He was well. I received a letter from Mary last Friday. They were all well but awful news to hear from Va. Poor Marcus was killed the 30th of Sept. It looks like we are to see nothing but trouble in this world. If you are in Greenville anywhere you must try and come to see me. I am looking for your father up to see me. Write to me soon. I will close…. Your affectionate sister, Martha Jane Willis. Greenville, SC Jan. 29, 1865 Dear Father & Morther – (D.Willis and wife) I will write you a few lines in answer to your kind letter of the 22nd…… I cant hear any word from my dear husband and I fear bad will be the news when I get it. I went to Mr. Harry (the name is rather illegible) yesterday to pay him for the hire of that negro I had last year and I the new on the way that my brother –in – law Green was killed. Cousin Si Poole is at home wounded. He sent the word up to sister but I can not hear anything about my husband. I would have gone on to Greenville to see him but I left my baby at home and I found the roads so bad I saw I could not get back that night and to come back without seeing him…. The report is that the 16th SC Vol. Is at Branchville but cousin Carter says it will be two weeks before they get here…. I may soon hear the same that my sister has heard but I hope such news will never reach my ears… the general talk now is that there will soon be peace…. I will go the officer tomorrow and if I get any news I will write more. (This part written to Miss E.H. Willis, most likely Emily Willis) Mif. E.H. Willis. Dear sister. I was glad to get a few lines from you… the great trouble is upon us. Now to hear of Mr. Greens death is a great trial for us all… I have sold some of my jeans. I sold five yards for one hundred (100) dollars. I swaped seven yards for thread. I got four bunches for the seven yards. I ran some more. I don’t know whether I will sell it or not….. There has been a heap of marring up here of late. Some of the girls marry deserters…. You all must stay single till the war is over…… Tell Henry I am glad to hear he is a smart boy. Tell him I want to see him very bad. All the children want to see him… Little Emma (Emma Willis Westmoreland) grows fine. She can nearly sit alone….. I do want to come down the worst sort…. Tell Mary and Lizy I want to know if they are fixing to get married that they cant take time to write me…. Tell Wallace to keep out of the war if he can Martha J. Willis Greenville, SC Mar. 13, 1865 Dear Father and Mother….. Glad to hear from you all. It has been so long I was getting very anxious to hear from Henry. I want to se im very bad…. I have not had but one letter from my husband since I wrote to you but I have heard from him several times. The Regt. Has nearly all been at home, some at home now… But he is detailed with the wagons the last I heard. Pa (Mr. Styles) say (saw) a man that saw him three weeks ago today….. He left Mr. Willis at Cansburg (?) and he was well. I heard Saturday the wagons of the 16th Regt was captured. Several of the Regt. told me when they came home he would be at home in a few days if he was not captured…. Pa’s family are all well except brother Young (Young Styles) is captured. We heard his Co. was all captured…… Yours Truly Martha J. Willis March 23, 1865 Greenville, SC Dear Father and Mother: I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines… and let you know what I am doing. I got home last Saturday from Agusta. I was left there on detail and did not get to come home with the Regt. When they were disbanded but great many of them are at home yet. I have no idea when I will go back. I want to stay just as long as I can. I am going to do what work I can while I do stay. It looks like we had all better stay at home and try to make something to eat. I would be glad that you and Mother would come up and bring Henry home… If I do try to go to my command I suppose I will go by way of Spartanburg but I want to stay at home just as long as I can without being bothered…. I will close for this time. Your affectionate son, J.I Willis Spartanburg Dist. Apr. 4, 1865 Dear Uncle…. It is with pleasure I embrace the present opportunity of writing you a few lines which I will send by Jonathan Cudd. I passed near where you live last fall…. I was with Hoods Army, 16th SC Regt. I got (out) two weeks ago --- am at Father’s now. I live in Greenville. Father was going to write but Uncle James Clement sent for him and Mother to go to his house. He has a child likely to die….. Father requested me to write you…. If Jonathan has luck to get home he can tell you more than I can write… I know very little…. Father has but one boy with him and that is Daniel the rest in Service. Marcus and John were killed last year (1864) in Virginia. John was killed 5 May and Marcus 30 of September…. Yours as ever, J.I. Willis. |
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