James H. Lane Papers, RG 501
FF 98: Letters to Lane (1873-76) - Civil War
|
Rufus W. Carson, Gaston, NC, to
Lane, January 17, 1873 Mrs. Lane (n.p.) to Lane, January
31, 1873 Rufus W. Carson, Gaston, NC, to
Lane, February 18, 1873 |
Gaston
County N.C.
Jan 17th 1873
Mr
James H Lane
Dear
Sir I have often thought of you as I have been with you in many a hard fought
Battle I have enquired after you Since the war often but I can
never find out where you are or what you are doing and I concluded That I would
write and Try to find out where you are If you would write to me
"If this enon finds you" I am farming away down here I Live in
5 miles of The S.C. line I am not Married yet. I went to
School Some of the war about Two Sessions
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2]
I
was a member of Co B 28th Reg N.C.V. Your Brig I would Love very much to have
your Likeness I have your picture In
The Southern Illustered but it is not a good one I would be glad to have The
likeness of one who I always esteemed as I did you In the War and Since Brother John B. loosed his left arm at
Chancelersville, Va He married and has
four Children Two Sons and 2 Dayters It is about 3 mile North to
The Air Line R.R. I hope to hear from you Soon. I remain as ever Your affection friend and well
wishes
Rufus W. Carson
Address Crowders Mountain
Gaston City
N.C.
Jan
31
I
know you will be as much pleased with this young soldier's letter dear Genl, as
I am. I had a great mind to send him
your photograph Myself but think he will be better pleased to have you do it. Kate says she believes she has an old one
somewhere which she will give you. You
ought to present such letters to show to Lidie. She seems to be well & bright - now tho still has a cold, has
missed her fever. Is learning new tricks constantly, warms her little
hands by the fire so sweetly tried to bark like the dog. Shows a great deal of fondness for boys even
in pictures unfortunate as she is to be raised near College. Looks so quizzical when you tell her to blow
her nose & she takes the handkerchief up to
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her
nose & blows away & looks so cunning. I am giving her the oil
& rheubarb every night to keep her bowels open, her gums still seem to be
tender: objects to my putting my fingers in her mouth & she used to open it
when I wanted to wash it.
Cousin
[Harvie] was here two nights since, asking about Seddan &
yrself. Said he thought Willie
Old would go to college as there was no one from his county, if he does you
must take him under yr wing & not let the boys treat him badly if possible,
he is not more than 13 yrs. I understand he is very backward. I presume you have a primary class as at The
Baptist College. Brother agreed with
you about The Geometry & two professors.
Hope you all will have all the college affairs arranged satisfactorily. I'm glad the Prestons will be in town &
hope will prove pleasant friends. My
love to Mrs. Carrol Seddon I expect he
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will
be shocked to hear that Mattie Harvies nurse slept in the room with the family
& the next morning the Dr pronounced her to have small pox. I hope they will escape that horrible
disease as well as dear Mamma did. How
anxious poor little Mattie must feel. They had only had the nurse about
ten days. Edwin is delighted with his
prospects at Clarksville & Mr Chafins has gained great notoriety by his
rafts, they have dubbed him comodore.
Seddon can tell you more about it than I can [Supposed] Brother &
Kate went to the Philharmonic Concert
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&
we[re] charmed. Miss Mattie Old sat
near the stage & when Mr Wheate came on to make a few remarks, she called
him to her & the audience applauded.
Mary Triplet & herself made a very pretty picture together. One poor Lady was so unfortunate as to be
taken so sick as to throw up & Georgie Logan who sat near her, found when
she reached home that she had been disagreeably near her. Don't know whether she was married or
single. Mr Wheat has a baby & last
Sunday he seemed to be playing a jubelee over it & Hale says that during
the Concert a package was handed him which looked like it might be a [powder]
bag or something for baby. [Marie]
& Mr Thomas were there. Johnnie has
been promoted to the engine with increased wages. Richard joins us in love.
Your loving Wife, L M L
[Home]
N.C.
Feb 18th 1873
Gen James H Lane
Dear
friend it is with The Emotions of the Greatest pleasure that I Seat myself for
no other than to respond to your kind and very welcome letter which I received
yesterday which found me in the enjoyment of very good health and Just home
from a wedding in S.C. 20 mile from my Residence. I a Splendid time had about 50 at the party. We have had a great deal of Rain this month.
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I
more than [obliged] to you for your picture.
I think it lookes very much like you but If you do not think it to much
trouble I would be very much glad If you would Send me another as this one is
fadded and some spots on it. Brother
[J.B.] Sends his best reguards to you.
I have not Saw any of CB Since I Received your letter not many of them
live near my I remain as ever your devoted friend and well wisher
Rufus W. Carson
Stephenville
TX
June 3, 1876
Gen J H Lane
Richmond Va
Dear Genl
I
notice an article in the Richmond Whig giving a discription of the Battle of
Cedar Run which is think should claim the attention of our Brigade as (Eye
Witness as he signs himself) fails to give us any credit on that ocasion. He speaks of AP Hill coming on the field at
the Head of Branches Brigade [etc.] but don't give us credit for firing again Branch led his Brig in that Battle and it
was our Brigade that repelled the advance on the left and I think we should
share our part of the story of those Bloody Battles if we were North
Carolinians I would be much pleased to
see a fair statement of that Battle from your pen. You have probably forgotton me and so I will try to tell you who
I am I was Capt of Co K 18th NC known among the officers of the 18th as Barries
pet Captain for the reason that I
commanded the skirmishers
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of
the 18th in all the Battles that we engaged in from the time he was made Col
until the Battle of Gettysburg where I was permanently disabled for field
service I applied to you for a court of
inquiry while Purdie was Col he having appointed a 1st Lieut over me while I
was home on furlough wounded who I was afterwards appointed Captain over by
yourself C A Donovan give me your
address he is [much] [occupied] in this place and is doing well. Hoping to hear from you with my best wishes
to yourself and family
I have the honor to be
Very Respectfully
Your obt sevt
[Alf] H H [Yolow]
Capt Co K 18th NCT
PS Remember me to Dr Lane
Camden
S.C.
June 21st 1876
Genl Jas. H. Lane
Blacksburg Va.
My Dear Sir:
While at my home in New Hanover County N.C. a month ago, for the first time in
a long time, I was looking over several Copies of "Our Living and Our
Dead" and your reports of the actions in which the old Brigade was
engaged. Your defence of the old
Brigade every time, and especially at Spotsylvania C.H. where we carried the
Batteries and Captured the flags, a part of which Mahone tried to Claim, made
me throw my hat in the air, as in the days of the war. As a Confederate soldier, and a member of
the old Brigade, ever feeling proud of my gallant old Brigadier, Genl, I thank
you. Very few Native North Carolinians
would have done as much In defending the Brigade, You have defended me, for I
tried to do my duty. Others must say
whether or not I did it.
With
a hope that all may be sunshine and happiness to you [our] Genl
Very Truly Yours
[Jesse] F. Bloodworth
Box 322 Camden S.C.
Transcribed
by Terri Stout-Stevens of Pfafftown, NC, on March 27, 2001. Edited by
Martin T. Olliff, Assistant
Archivist, Auburn University, who takes responsibility for any errors.
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