Franklin Feb. 11th 1862
My Dear Husband,
I wrote you a long letter and started it by Jeff Martin this morning. I am most afraid that he did not go on as they staid at your Pa’s last night and went up town after breakfast and none of us saw them go down street after that. There was two men with him by the name of Franklin who said they belonged to Capt. Strange’s Company. I could have sent it by mail this morning but he said he was going on and I thought you had got so far from Asheville that you would get it sooner by him. Cousin Jimmie Grant is staying with us tonight and is going to your Camps so I thought I would write some by him. Emilus is also here tonight.
I received two letters from you this evening one by mail and one by Cousin William Roane which was started by Mr. Shirer. I do not know how it happened that he brought it as I did not speak to him only as he rode up street. I know Cousin Mary is more than rejoiced tonight. When I saw her the other day she was so in hopes he would come. I am a thousand times obliged to you for your letters for I did not look for one this evening. I do not know why but I reckon it was because I did not write to you last week. I felt so mean about it that I could not expect one, but you must excuse me as I was looking you home every day until I got your letter Tuesday evening and I was going to write by Fridays mail but was providentially hindered as I wrote you in my other letter. I am so glad to hear that you are still improving. I do hope you will start home and my letters will meet you on the way. I saw Col. Owens this morning. He said you would be home this week he thought and I shall look oh how anxiously. You seem to be afraid that I will think you are crazy and foolish for writing such loving letters. Do not mistake yourself them are just the kind I like to get. It makes me think that I have a dear loving husband and one who is true to me and who cares for no other woman. You say am I proud of you? Yes indeed I am, who would not be proud of such a husband, one who is true to his trust in his absence thinking only of his devoted wife at home in her loneliness. I tell you such men are hard to find these days, although I believe there are a few such and I am happy to say that I believe it was my happy lot to get such an one. If I did not think so I know I would be one among the most miserable beings on earth. It is almost as much as I can bear to be separated from you, but if I thought you were like some men and little enough for me to think if you could not be with me that some one else would do as well, I know I could not bear it, for above all things on earth that ever human beings had to put up with that is one thing I do pray I may never have to cross my path, but enough on this subject for fear you will think that I am crazy.
I will close this letter as it is late and every body else has gone to bed. Emilus speaks of writing a few lines to you in the morning. Matt sends her respects and Liza says howdy. Good night may you have pleasant dreams of home and one who is always thinking of you.
As ever you true devoted wife
Mary
Franklin NC
Feb 12th 1862
Dear Alf,
As Mollie is writing you I concluded to write a few lines also. I reached home last Saturday found all well. My visit was quite unexpected to the folks and to myself also. I had no idea of coming until the day before I left. I was advised by the surgeon to take a sick furlough, as my health was bad and he thought impossible for me to get well in camp. I left the boys generally well. I should have come by your camps but found out you were moving farther off from Asheville than you were and I did not have time to see you and get back to town the same evening. I did intend to come by and see if there was any chance for me to get the sergeant majors place in your battalion but understood from Hugh Bearden that he had rec’d the appointment. I have been wanting to get away form our Regt for some time but find it impossible unless in case of promotion & truly I have had experience enough in service to fill that office and would be glad to get the appointment as I want to continue in service as long as the war last and my health I fear will not permit me to perform duty as a private.
If the appointment is not made before this reaches you and you think I would suit you all please present my name to your major as a referent for the office. I shall have to leave for the regt about the 24th of the month. I hope you will come over to Franklin before I leave. I will try to make it convient to visit your camps as I return. I must close, as Jimmie wants to start.
Truly Yours
I E Gray
Head Quarters Coleman Battalion
Camp Martin Feby 13th 1862
Col. T. W. Owen & Son
Gentlemen we have again recd marching orders from Richmond & Raleigh to march immediately to Knoxville. The Major says we will march on Monday next. So you will hold your selves in readiness to march direct to Knoxville. As you would not be able to join the company this side of Knoxville. I shall go by Franklin, will start also the first of the week. When I come I will give you both the necessary instruction. We are to recd arms at that place also other necessary articles of clothing. Keep an eye on Martin & Mathis & if you think they are making any signs of dodgin put them in jail. Recruit if you can find anyone that wishes to join us. Ill close my respects to your familys & inquiring friends.
Yours
A.W. Bell
Clayton, Ga. Feb 14th 1862
Your note was handed me on yesterday. I was sorry to hear of Alfs sickness hope he will soon be well. If he comes home soon I will come and see him I have been trying to get off to your place for sometime but the weather has been so bad I mean wet, I have as yet failed. I have been quite sick the last two days. I am better now. I was in bed nearly two days. I will try to come soon & bring your calico & citrine oint. Write me soon how Alf is.
Yours
Benjamin
Head Quarters Colemans Battalion Feby 16th 1862
My Dear Wife,
I write you a hasty note to let you know that I have not got off yet home. I have been waiting for B.G. McDowell to return from Raleigh & to see if my company would be paid off. I learn that McDowell is in town & will be here this evening. My boys will get their money up to the 1st this month in a day or too. So we will not start for Knoxville until Friday. So I shall not start probably before the last of the week. I recd your letters by Martin & also by Jas. Grant was glad to get letters from you, as to the length of your kind and loving letters they are not half as long as I wish they was. I could read them if they was four times the length they are & would come every day. I should be delighted to know that you thought of me so kind & loving. I recd Mikes letter & showed it to Col. Coleman & he said that he had appointed a sergeant major but he would give him the appointment of quarter master sergeant which is the same rank & pay. I think that there will be no doubt about it. I will if all is right bring his appointment with me. We have got the sixth company, which entitles us to a Lieut. Col. & we had our election yesterday & elected D. Coleman Lieut. Col. unanimous & one T. W. Pierce Major. We are not well pleased with our Major but I hope he will make us a good officer. While writing the above the Col. has recd orders for us to march forth with to Knoxville & he says he would like very much that I should go there before I go home & I can go from there as quick as from here, so I may go there before I go home. We have also recd news by one of our men Mr. Stewart who is just from Raleigh that President Davis telegraphed to our Governor that England had recognized the south as independent. He says it is certainly true (glad of that). I suppose you ere this have heard of our defeat at Roanoke Island. We lost about 18 hundred men 3 hundred killed & wounded the balance taken prisoners & the yanks lost about 15 hundred killed & wounded & 4 gun boats sunk, a dear bought victory. Mark Irvine is among the prisoners. It has been raining & sleeting & snowing for 2 days. The snow is about 2 inches deep, but is melting its in a perfect balancing so we will have a muddy time to march if we start Tuesday as the Col. says we will start then. I should rather wait until the last of the week as the pay master is on his way here with 40 thousand dollars to pay us off & my boys wants me to take money home for their famlys, so if they start Tuesday I will go with them to Knoxville for their especial benefit. I will send my trunk home by a wagon that will leave here in the morning. I will send the key by Jas. Grant. I will also write by them if they don’t start until Tuesday. I must close as I have nothing else to write now. Think of me, dream of me & wish for me & I will come very soon. Kiss my babys, my love to Matt & howdy to Liza. I am ever your loving husband.
A.W. Bell
PS Tell Col. Owen & son to get up as many of those deserters & back sliders as they can & march as soon as possible to Knoxville. I have not heard from Angels Company since I wrote you.
Ever true
A.W. Bell
Mt Zonah
Feb 18th 1862
Dear Mary
I received your long looked for letter not long since, was glad to get it, if it was a long time coming. But had begun to get a little (?) and as I have just written to Addie & for the sake of saving postage these hard times thought I would answer it as I have nothing new or interesting to write anyway. We get no news here such irregular mail so you see we are like the old woman who never heard her savior was dead (rather weak).
I heard Alf was ordered to the east. I reckon that was a sad disappointment to you, but I do trust all things will turn out for the best. We will try to look upon the bright side at least and trust in the good being who dooth all things well. What has become of Tom Mc has he or Auther gone? If I was Mary I would not get foolish in my old days & fall out with my friend on account of a cowardly brother. It makes me proud of my brothers who are gone, for a young man is not noticed here who will not go. I think it is every mans duty to go who can & those who have family & should fix their business as if it was for a life time, for it is an uncertain business. John is still high up to go, but I don’t see how he could get off with out leaving me in a bad situation if he should never get back. I don’t think he will go yet for awhile at least. He is mining doing very well. He is in bed, has just raised up and said tell them I am in the mud & water up to my ass every day. Sometimes he has not a dry thread on him. He will soon have gone to work. I card and spin every day & am having me a loom made. I expect to spin filling & thread, $2.50 to 5 per bunch, not 1 yard of cloth shirting in the country. What has become of Ben? I have not heard from him since he got back. Will he go any more or is he satisfied? Has Mary Jane come home to stay? Give her my love. I dreamed of her the other night thought the first word I said to her was howdy fat Uncle and laughed one of our old fashion laughs, something I seldom do give a cheerful hearty laugh for I nearly always feel bad. I reckon you & Pa have given out coming though I never looked much. Are you keeping house & what are you going to do? I am sorry you are in a fix you could get a long so much better. What did you have any more for? If it is the Lords will, I will never have another. What has Pa done with his sleighs? If he has them yet, tell him I want them. Give my love to all. Tell Pa I have a glass barrel of peach brandy put away to treat him on when he comes or some brandy peaches. If you see Ben tell him I have been looking him ever since he got back. Write soon & tell me everything.
Sallie
Cousin Matt
As paper is scarce I will write a line in Marys. I am much obliged to you for your note & wish you would write a good long letter. It does me so much good to get letters from home. I heard some body had a furlough & must not take a notion to stop off there have time, for you will find it a different matter from what you imagine. Well Will was at home on furlough. He sent his love to you & says he would like to go up next summer. His time will be out in May. I could not promise to go with him for I don’t know what will turn up. I did not believe to digging shit holes in time of war.
Head Quarters Colemans Battalion
Camp Martin Feby 17th 1862
My Dear Wife
As James Grant will start home in the morning I thought I would trouble you with another note. I wrote you yesterday by mail but the probability is that it may not get to Franklin before this. Thinking probably that you would expect a note by hand & would not think hard of me for writing you so often that I should be at home very soon. Well the Col. has concluded to wait until the last of the week & let the boys recd their pay. Which I think nothing but justice to them & their famlys. The Adjt. McDowell arrived here last evening, brings some good news & reports that our killed at Roanoke Island was only 66. They took some 18 hundred of our boys prisoners. The yankees admit the loss of a thousand. Our boys say they killed between twelve & fifteen hundred & sank 4 of their gunboats & disabled 2. The Adjt. saw the dispatch from President Davis to Gov. Clark that England had recognized our independence. He also saw a late New York Herald & it stated that it was a fix fact that England would recognize the south & they most prefer to meet it. The Adjt. believes all is true.
I this morning started my trunk home by a wagon that started back with some prisoners to Cherokee & if I don’t forget it I will send the Key by Jimey in the morning. The Adjt. brought me & my officers their pay. I got four hundred & eighty three dollars. I think that pays better than plugin teeth & repairing watches, but if peace was made and my country did not need my services, I had much rather be with my wife & babys, if I did only make them a comfortable support, but you think that I love money so well that I would prefer staying in the army at such prices as I now get, but you are mistaken. I don’t believe any man loves his wife & babys any better than I do & not make him self a fool & disgust his neighbors with foolery. Though its not worth my while to try to make you believe a thing that you know so well. I have told you by letter so often that I am a shamed to tell you again that I think now that I will start home the last of this week. The Col. says after seeing the Adjt. that he will not start tomorrow, so I now think after the boys gets their pay that I will go home & meet my company at Knoxville. The Adjt. brought our commissions we are now some officers. I have not told you any thing about how I fair or who I mess with. I have ever since I returned from Raleigh messed with Col. Coleman, Dr. Warren (our surgeon), Adjt. McDowell, Lieut. Anderson & G. W. G. Moore. We fair very well. We have 3 darkeys to cook & wait on us. The quartermaster will join us & bring another darkey. Dr. Warren’s darkey is a good cook, so we are fairing finely. This is a good settlement & we can get any thing we want here. The people are very kind to us & they bring into camp to sell chickens, turkeys, eggs, butter pies, cakes, potatoes, cabbage & apples. They sell them at very moderate prices. The ladys have a soldiers aid society here & have some clothing on hands that they had not sent off. They called on me & other officers to know if we had any very needy men that had not a change of clothing. I reported this morning & got 3 pair pants, 3 pair drawers, 3 shirts & 1 pair socks all woolen goods. Capt. Davidson got nearly a dozen. They distributed in proportion to our wants. They say they will have enough to supply our wants by Friday. This is Southernism in true Dixie & if every body had such host our soldiers would be well provided for. But poor Macon has never given any thing but to her own sons & then only the parents to their sons, poor irish potatoes. There was a draft arrived at Asheville. I am so glad I reckon those brave men of Macon that was ready to go when they was really needed will dance to the music now. It will do me good to see them drafted. I reckon those boys of mine will come to camps now. I have 88 officers and men in camp & deserters & backsliders 11 making 99. I think we will soon have over a hundred. I think Mikes appointment safe as quarter master sergeant. I would not exchange my small money off only for gold & silver, because its state money & cannot brake unless the state becomes insolvent, besides change is very scarce so don’t exchange. Henry Gregory & Ambros Waldroop arrived here to night. We have had the pleasure of several of our Macon Friends who has visited us lately. We are glad to see them though I think it their duty to do so when they can. I was sorry to hear of the death of Leander Ledford. Poor fellow wanted to come with me but his bigoted brother & intelligent knowing father would not consent, probably if he had done as they wished, he might now be living. We have heard that Jule & Lyle has gone for his remains. It has stopped raining this evening & it now looks like it would clear off the moon is shining though its foggy. I have just been out after a cup of water. The boys are all gone to bed & every thing in camp is still except the boys some of them have bad coughs. It is now 10 minuets until 12 o’clock & I have nothing else to write, though I am not sleepy & don’t feel much like going to bed. But if I was there I guess it would not be many seconds before I would be in bed & entwined in the sweetest & dearest arms to me on earth. It makes me sigh & draw a longing breath to think of the pleasure I am loosing, but my country calls & I as a true subject must obey & defend her. I am proud to know that I have a wife who appreciates a true husband both to his wife & his country. How many wives can say the same? I fear they are scarce. If I can stand the yankee balls as I do temptations form the fair daughters, know I shall prove myself worthy of your love and affections forever. As I passed form church the other day there was some ladys getting on their horses. One says there is more pretty men here than I ever saw. I turned politely & says Madam we are volunteers to fight yankees & if the ladys desires us we will volunteer to go to see them. She appeared to like it very much from the way it pleased her. She was the best looking lady in church. I don’t know who she was I did not ask but I think she would like some man, yes even if it was a volunteer to rap the warm arms of love around her & squeeze her up a little & kiss her a few times like I use to do you. I think she would of enjoyed it well. The ladys met at the church today & done some work for the hospital. I was there & reported my necessities. I also heard one say, he is the prettiest man in the house. I know they was talking about me. Are you glad other women thinks I am pretty? Say yes, I know you are. Ill quit its up ½ past 12 o’clock & I know you will be glad that I would stop. If I go to Knoxville before I go home I will write you again. I have no late news from the Jeff Davis guards or Thads company. I cannot close with out saying that I wish I was now going to bed to you in stead of Lieut. Anderson. My love to Matt & relations, respects to friends, howdy to Liza, kiss my babys & think of me offtimes.
Ever your devoted husband
A.W. Bell
Head Quarters Colemans Battalion
Camp Martin Feby 19th 1862
My Dear Wife
I seat myself to night to write you a few lines, not in answer to any letter that I have recd from you but in answer to the message you send me by Bob Bingham that you wished me to come home soon. I suppose you have heard the defeat of our arms at Fort Henry. Our forces was over powered after fighting two hours but little loss on our side. Our forces retreated to another fort. The worst is that they took about 80 men prisoners that was trying to get to our aid, but we must expect to meet with some reverses, but I hope we will soon wipe out this calamity to our cause. We have recd orders again both from Richmond & Raleigh to march to Knoxville. Right off the Maj. says we will start Monday, but I hardly think we will get off that soon, though I think we will leave next week. The boys are all glad of it. If I can get conveyance I shall come home next week. I asked the Maj. today for leave of absence & he granted it when I wished to go. I told him that I would meet the Battalion at Knoxville. There is preaching about 1 hundred yards off to night & they are having a good time of it. The boys say there is 13 or 15 movers. I hope some of them will profess religion yet tonight. It is now nearly 9 o’clock & they are singing & taking on like it was campmeeting time. I understand the movers are mostly from our battalion. I reckon you think I ought to be there. Well I attended church Sunday & I wish to write tonight, so that I could send my letter to Asheville tomorrow so that it would go by Fridays mail. These are my excuses & I hope you will except them. I sent you a letter by Lieut. W. H. Roane which I hope you got it ere this. I sent Pa an over coat by Mr. Shoner which I hope he got all right. I want to send one of my trunks by one of those wagons that will leave here the first of next week. I have some clothing that I don’t wish to take with me & my books & dental insturments. Dr. Thos. Roane sends a book to a young lady there, which I put in my trunk. Its for Miss Ellen Moore. I reckon Matt & Mike has had a loving time, can’t they fix up & give me a wedding when I come home. I have nothing more to write that I now think of Lieut. Anderson has just got in from meeting & tells me that Bob Bingham professed religion. I hope as Billy Rogers says that it a mighty good thing if he will only hold out faithfully to the end.
I have not heard from our boys at Manassas since I wrote you though I expect to hear from them soon. Several of them are trying to get transfers to my company. I have written them & so has the Maj. written Col. Lee. I have just written Beng to Clayton. I should like him to visit me when I come home. I must close as I have nothing else to write you & as I expect to be in your arms soon. Kiss my babes & tell them that Dad will soon be at home. Think of me, especially when you go to bed my respects to inquiring friends ever your true & loving husband.
Till I see you which I hope will be very soon
A.W. Bell