1861 May 5 Fort Palmetto

                                       Fort Palmetto
                                                         May 5, 1861
My Dear Wife
                        As this is Sunday I propose to
devote the day to reading the Bible and also
to writing you a few lines.  This seems as a
day of rest because all duties are suspended
except guard mounting and dress parade.  Yet
there are numbers playing card and some
fishing.  The boat which plys between this point
and the city is about to leave and with it
a number of men from the different com-
panies go on their way home.  What a source
of pure joy it would be , if I were among
the number.  The news came here last evening
that we would be removed from this point
in two weeks.  I think I will go to the city and
forward the articles to you by express.  Do let me
know a day or two before you forward the box
that I may get it immediately.
                                                    I suppose Wm.
Creight is to-day in the enjoyment of every pleasure
that he could wish, and will no doubt sit up
to Marg like a sick kitten to a hot brick.
In speaking of the unpopularity of the Colonel  I cannot

say why it exists.  The commander of a regiment or
of a company must conduct himself very
circumspectly or his popularity is at an end.
Rion has done his best yet for some unknown
reason, he is very much disliked by a large
portion of the regiment.  Probably a concentration
of the regiment would remove many of the little
differences, yet this must be tried.
                                                 Do say to Cousin
Anna that I would like her to make some
of those shirts left with her.  You can get her a pattern
I am ^ ‘not’ positive yet  I may be up home the latter part
of this week.  The boys or a[t] least a number of them
are very anxious to go to Virginia, and wish
me to go with them.  I would prefer going
there to remaining at this post, where we are
subjected to an unhealthy location.  I am told
that a number of the boys from Winnsboro will
go.  I do not know how or what will be the result.
I see by the papers that 3 women are among the
volunteers from the North, dressed as bloomen.  Do you
ever hear from Aunt Phebe.  Write me soon and let
me know if communication has been cut off with the North
If not, I will write her a good long letter.
                                                              How is Nett’s
school getting on, hope she has several of the little ideas
teaching them to shoot.  I would like so much to
peep in upon you this afternoon and see those                                                                                

very dear to me.  We do hope that these matters will not
last always.  Hoping soon to meet you
                         I am your very affectionate husband
                                          J.M. Phinney
                   Write me all the news tell Will to
                pay the pew rent and I will settle with
                him.  Tell me how your funds stand

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

                                                             
James M. Phinney, 6th South Carolina Infantry

MSS 12661

1861 May 4th Harpers Ferry, Va.

                                       Harpers Ferry   April  ^’May’  4th /61
                        My Dear Pa,
                                       As I have a little time
this evening I will write to you, though I do n’t know
when I’ll have an opportunity of sending a letter
home.  Mr. Winston & the other men arrived saf[e]ly this
morning, there was a great rejoicing & cheering when
they came in, I was very glad to meet with all of
them, especially Jno Thomas, who broke out in
one of his famous “big laughs”.  I was very
much delighted to get so much news to day,
through letters & friends, it took me some time
to get through all of my letters, & the papers, for
which I’m very much obligid to you indeed, I have
not read yet.  The box of cakes were enjoyed very
much by myself & a few friends, I’ve not eaten
them all yet, but guess Ill finish them tomorrow.
The things clothes were safely received, & they were
all very acceptable, I was very muched pleased
with the shirts, they are the very shirts for this kind
of life, I had intended writing for some.
The new uniform is right coarse, but I think it is
the very thing for us, It will be so hard to wear out.
I’ve just finished supper, I told Jno. Thomas, that
the cows did not come up, or I would have given milk.
I’ve just gotten so used to this life, that I do nt mind
it now at all, can eat anything, & sleep anywhere,
I know it is a great deal better for me to be contented
& therefore I am contented, & will be so as long as I
possibly can.  I think Joe is getting right home
sick, but I wo’n’t let him get so when I’m near,
he got a long letter from his Uncle, Dr. Gray,

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who seems very uneasy about him, says he can’t
stand the hardships, that he has to stand here.
Dr. Gray also sent him a certificate certifying that
he was unfit for military duty, I think therefore if Joe
tries, he can get off very easily, I would dislike
very much to separate from Joe, but think he ought
to go home, the Dr. spoke of coming here himself
to try to get Joe off.  I’ve stood thus far, a good
deal better than I could have expected, have been
well the whole time, with the exception of a cold,
which is about well now, but that long march
came very near breaking me down.
I was very glad to hear that Westheimer had been
cleared out, hope he will be kept away now.
We were all mustered into regular service yesterday, & are
now subject to the order of the State, for any len[g]th
of time, we did n’t like it much, but had to
submit to it, like it or dislike it.  We are all getting
very tired of this place, but I had rather stay
here than to go to Norfolk or any of those lower
places, we may have to go to after leaving here,
It is very healthy here, & they say it is always so
We use Cook’s school room for our kitchen.
I believe I’ve told you how we manage affairs here,
We can’t go to bed until after nine oclock, the
roll is then called & every man  is to answer to his
name, the Reverlee is beaten at six in the mornin,
& every one is to arise and answer to his name again
I have n’t seen a great deal of Uncle Phil Ashby,
as I’m so closely confined, he was down to see
me last night & the night before, he expects to
join the Culpepper Min. men.  I must stop for the night

[page 3]
so I bid you a good night.  P. E. Jones

Philip Edloe Jones, Private, Co. E, 13th Virginia Infantry

MSS 13407

1861 May 4 Fort Palmetto

       Fort Palmetto
                                 Saturday Night             May 4, 1861
     My Dear Wife
                           Your very welcome and interesting letter
was received to-day, and I very much regret to read
of the children and yourself being unwell, but hope
it is nothing serious.  We are very much displeased
with our location and are anxious to be removed
from this point, to a healthy location where plenty
of good water can be had.  We have the most
miserable water I every drank and every one in
camp is more or less affected.  The news came to us
to-night that we would be removed to some point
up the country.  I will not be too sanguine as the
matter may result differently.  I expect however to visit
home to latter part of next week or the first of
week after.  You need not look for me until you see
or hear from me again.  What in the world has put
Shannon and Kittie in the notion of boarding, and
as you remark who pays Emma’s board.  I was
under the impression that Knight and her were
about to marry.  You may send the box and be
sure and put plenty of butter in it.  I expect
I will bring the covering up with me.  Do write me
and let me know what kind of a dress you bought
from Kitchen’s and let me know what kind of

a hat you would [fragment torn out] to have for Anna.  I forgot to send
the lawn by [fragment torn out] Creight.  I send the clothes and the
Boquet by him.  I wish you could have seen it when
fresh.  It was varnished but did retain its colors.
On Friday when William was leaving for home I felt
quite homesick and would have given much to have
been able to go with him.  I was sorry not to be able
to send something up by him.  I will bring something
up when I come home.  I have not yet seen any of
of [sic] our lady friends.
                               It is now after eleven and I must
close.  Give much love to all and accept a very large share
From your affectionate husband
                                                   J.M. Phinney
                       Write me soon.
                                       
James M. Phinney,  6th South Carolina Infantry


MSS 12661

1861 May 4 Harpers Ferry

My Dear Wife

Your welcome letter
of 20th inst was received on yesterday
Write very often--nothing can be
so interesting to me as your letters.
Some of the other wives you think get
more letters than you do--and you
women measure your husbands love by
the number & length of their letters--
If so tell Annie Lewis that that Will
is the most affectionate husband in
the Camp--I will write to you Love
about once a week and half a
page at a time--I cannot with
justice to my eyes write longer
letters. This will be handed to
you by Maj Preston who will
tell you every thing you want
to know--Kiss the children for
me and for yourself take my
best love Ever Yours
E.F. Paxton

Elisha Franklin "Bull" Paxton (1828-1863), a University of Virginia alumnus, a friend of Thomas J. Jackson and a lawyer and bank president without previous military training, entered the Confederate Army as a 1st Lieutenant in the Rockbridge Rifles in Col. James F. Preston's 4th Virginia Infantry.

1861 May 4 Low. Bremo [Fluvanna County, Va.]

[The following letter is a draft retained in the papers of Gen. John Hartwell Cocke]

Major General Rob. E Lee

Permit an old soldier whose experience
in the militia service of our state in the War of 1812
strongly impressed ^'him' with the conviction that the Kentucky shirt, ought to be
to make a suggestion for your consideration.
our national uniform, to make that suggestion for your consideration.
if the cheapness & readiness with which ^'this' military costhume [sic] can be
adopted is more than overbalanced by a gayer & more showy
state of dress in your better experience & observation -- I ^'shall' acquiesce
cheerfully in your decision. nothing doubting you have duly
considered the pros & the cons touching the subject--

Yours with highest consideration ^'regard' & respect

John H. Cocke

1861 May 3 Culpeper Co House

Head Quarters Potomac Dept.
7 A.M.

A Proclamation
Amongst the first to be called, by authority of the state
to her defence, assigned to duty on the Potomac position,
within twenty four hours, I was in sight of the position
of the armed hosts of the North.

For a line of defence, reaching from the mouth
of the Potomac to the extreme mountain rills of
that great river; I come to organize for & maintain
its defence.

Men of Virginia: to arms! Men of the tidewater
of Piedmont, of the Valley, of trans Allegha-
ny, to the Ohio border: to arms!

The once peaceful Capital of the United States is
now the grand rallying point of the armed
military power of the North

The constitution of your country, the sovereign rights
of you state, truth justice and liberty are all
ignored & outraged amidst the brutal & frenzied
cry of the North for: force: force:

At this moment twenty five thousand armed men
profane, by their insolent presence, the city, the grave
and the memory of Washington, whilst an

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unbroken stream of thousands violate the soil of Mary-
land and murder her citizens, in their march
to reinforce & occupy the Capital: And for what?
the Capital has never been threatened. Tis not now
threatened! It is beyond & outside the limits of the free
& sovereign state of Virginia. The North has not openly
declared war on us. We make no war on them.
But should Virginia's soil and the grave of Washington
be polluted by the tread of a single man in arms
from north of the Potomac it will cause open war.

Men of the Potomac border. Men within the bounds
of the Military Potomac Department from the
Chesapeake to the Alleghany: to arms: to arms: to arms:
Your country calls you to her defence. Already you
have in spirit responded. You await but the order
to march, to rendezvous, to organize, to defend
your state. Your liberty and your homes

Women of Virginia cast from your arms all cowards
and breathe the pure and holy, the gentle & glowing
inspirations of your nature into the hearts and souls
of lover, husband, brother, father:

Almighty God: Author & Governor of the world,
from whom, cometh light, truth, justice, & power,
thou art our God,thou wilt be with us.
We fear not a world against us.

MSS 640

1861 May 3 Richmond, Va.

Quarter Master's Dept.

Genl. [John H.] Cocke,

Dr Sir
I desire to purchase, what
oats, & hay, you may have on hand, for
the use of the Volunteer forces of Virginia.
If you have any straw, it would be a
great favor to the service, if you could
have it baled, and sent down as our
troops will suffer for that article.
W J wood