Wednesday, February 1, 2012

1862 February 1 Centreville

Camp at Centreville
Feb 1st 1862

My Dear Creek
I received your letter by Sam Brown and
was happy to hear that you are all well at home, I intended
sending this by Sam Brown but he will not start for a few
days yet. and we have to start on that weary and unagreeable
picket again today, so I thought I would send you a few
lines by mail, and if he has not gone when we get back
can write you again by him. I have made you a tatting
needle which I will give him for you, it is made from a
piece of cedar which I got on the Battlefield of Manassas, I
dont know whether it is made right or not, as I never
made one before and I just made it something like the
ones I saw some of the Boys making. if it is not right let
me know what is the matter with it, and I will make you
a better one, I have some nice apple tree wood which will
make much nicer ones than the cedar and I will make you
some more of them different sizes, so that you will be right
fixed for that sort of work. We have not much to do in camp
now that our houses are finished and it affords me great pleasure
to be making any little thing that I can for you, it makes
me think I am at home with you again, and I can fancy
Dear little Maggie looking up at me and begging me for
to make her one to (sic); I must make her a nice little one
and you can learn her to make tatting when she grows
older; I went over to the Battlefield the other day and got
a horse hoof, to make you and her a ring. I am sorry we have

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to go on picket today as I would make them and send
them by Sam Brown also, but perhaps I may have
another chance of sending them, and if I have not it
cannot be a great while now till I bring them
to you myself, None of the Regiment have Voluntered (sic)
as yet, I dont think any or at least not many of
them intend doing do till they get back home
at least that seems to be the general impression
at present, The health of the men is still improving
nearly all of the Regiment have got their houses built
and moved into them, except some who are to (sic) lazy
to work. My company have been in theirs some time
and I had a very nice comfortable cabin built for me
and nearly finished when I got back, it is about the
size of the cabin over at the mill, built of logs, well
chinked and dobed and covered with good boards
and a first rate fireplace in it, I expect to have plank
this week to floor it, which will make it quite comfortable
so, if the Yankees get to (sic) close to you at home yo (sic)
can pick up Maggie and come on here and stay
with me. I have about enough Blankets for us both
but they are getting pretty dirty, so you had better
bring Phillis along to wash them. Our whole army
is vry (sic) much cast down about the removal of our
Favorite General Beauregard, he left this place
today, for Kentucky to take command of the forces
there, and retrieve our misfortunes, which I have no
doubt he will soon do; Give my love to all of the
family, tell Julia Webb, Billy Major had a thousand
questions to ask me about her when I got back. Kiss little Maggie
for me and except (sic) the same from your,
William

William Anderson, Captain, Co. J, 4th South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

[Transcription and annotation by Emily Cone-Miller]


Two days after confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter on April 12th, 1861, William Anderson, of Anderson, South Carolina, enrolled as a Captain of the Confederate Guards. He became Captain of Company J of the 4th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment the following June and was elected Major of the Palmetto Sharpshooter Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, in April of 1862. He died on July 4th, 1862 of wounds he received during the Seven Days’ Battles.

P. G.T. Beauregard, the beloved commander of whom William Anderson writes, was being sent to serve as second in command of the Army of the Mississippi. He had been promoted to full general, along with General Johnston, in August of 1861, after their shared success in the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas). When the two generals’ forces were combined, Johnston was given command and Beauregard began a series of disagreements with President Davis and his cabinet.

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