Camp Taylor, Va Feb
Among the many records in The Southern Historical Collection, in the Library of The University Of North Carolina is found a file called "The Smith Papers, # 2322"
This file holds about twelve letters written by Joseph W. Smith, while serving in the Confederate Army. The letters were written to his father in Atlantic, NC.
Two of the letters could not be Xeroxed because of their deteriorating state, two that were copied can’t be read and the other eight I have transcribed and posted here for your reading pleasure.
The spelling and punctuation is as Smith wrote it. Ellen F. Cloud
Letter # 1
Oct 8, 1863
In Camp,
I now seat my self down to let you no that I am well and in good health and hope these few lines fund you all the same. Dear father I have not heard from you in some time and I have wrot a good miny letters to you and I do not hear where you get them or not. I should think that I could get a letter from you som way or other. Dear father I wish that this war wold end and it wold end in our favor so I can come home one more time. It wold be a great pleasure to me the gratest pleasure that I ever seen in my life for I want to see you all the worst that I ever did in my life but that seams like that it is never going to end but this serves very well. We have plenty to eat and ware all the time and have 12 dollars per month but eho every thing is so hy I spend it as fast as I git it. all of the boys are all well and in camp but Ralph E. Salter and Thomas Robinson tha are at the hospital and has ben there ever sence last winter and I don’t now what hospital tha are at for we have not heard from them in some time. But R.E. Salter said that he was going to stay there for a while if there wose eny chance for him to do so. I have ben in a great miny fites out here and never have got wonded yet and I trust in god that I never shall. I think that we have all ben very lucky all of we boys from down there from Core Sound and I hope that we all may live to get home safe again if it is gods will. I will not write much news for fear you will not get it for I have wrote so miny and never have heard from them only 1. And that Uncle E.H. got at hyde. He sent me a letter and said that you were all well and I have wrote a great miny since that. John H. Salter came out of the company last winter and I suppose that all of the fort simouth boys have come out and I am glad over it but I heard that Charley Styron Pigot ? left long time a go. And I heard that Francis ? Hill was in a company at new top sal inlet and W Hill is in a steamer at Wilmington. I should like to be thar with him and I have tried to get in the navy but my capt will not give me a transferr to the navy. You must try and write soon and write every chance you can get. Give my love to all of my and yourn friends and save a good portion for your self. Kiss Eddy and ??? (looks like Polly) and all the rest for me and I trust in god that I shall be with you all a gain before long. Nothing more at present.
Joseph W. Smith
Letter # 2
Burtons Hospital, Lynchburg
June 17 1864
Dear Father, It is with great pleasure that I drop you a few lines to let you know how I am. I am well at this time. I was wonded on the 8 day of May in the leg but I am all most well. I was wonded with a miny ball it was a shot wond and our Capt was killed the same day and I was sorry to loose him he was a good man. I hear since I left the company that Ezrel Golding was slitly wonded in the head. He is all that you know that is wonded. John Burges is wonded and is heare with me he is from Portsmouth. I hope all of our boys may get out saift. I shall go to the company soon I am walking about here in Lynchburg but I rather be home. I was in hopes to get a furlough but I can not do it. I never get eny letter from you I hope you will get this soon but I shall be with my company before you get this. I want you to write soon as you get this. All … (rest of page torn off)
Letter # 3
Burtons Hospital Lynchburg Va
July 15 1864
Dear Father it is with great pleasure that I drop you a few lines to let you know how I am I am well and in the best of health and I hope that these few lines find you all well. I was wonded May 8 but now I am well and am going back to my company I was slitley wonded through the leg with a menny ball but it has cured ok and is well. John D. Burgess is heare with me he is well. I hear from the company the other day and hear that E Golding was slitley wonded Capt Potts was killed and one more man but you don’t know him he lives up the county. I was sorry to lose our Captain he was a good man He was killed the same day I was wonded all the rest of the boys was well the last time I heard from theme. I am going to my company this week I had thought to get a furlough and come home and stay for a while but my wond was not bad enuff. I got well to quick. I hope and pray to god this war will not last much longer and I do not think it will. I hear that John W. Hill had takend the oath I did not think he would do such a thing I am very sorry that he dun the like. I got a letter from his father Joseph the other day he is very sorry about it he sed he had wrote for him to come out I hope he will come out yet. I never get eny letters from you at all and I write to you often I wrote soon as I got here to this place I want you to write soon and try to get me a letter for I want to hear from home very bad. I should like to see you all and I hope it will not be long before we all can come home to stay. I will not write eny newse for fear you will not get this I have wrote so many that you do not get but I hope you do get this if eny body is mean enuff to break this open and read it I hope they will send it to you. I don’t suppose you will get this before September or October if you do then give my best respects to all the people. I wold like to see all the folks and I hope that I shall live to see this war over if it is gods will. We fare very well here at the hospital but I do not like to stay here for I do not like a hospital no how. You must write soon as you can. It is very hot and dry out here I want to see winter come again. Well the yankeys has not got richmond yet and that is not the worst of it they never will I don’t think. There has bin miny a man killed around richmond and I don’t think that this war can last much longer I hope not. If you see uncle E.H. tell him to write tell all the rest of my uncles to write and give my love to all my friends and I will close by saying I remain your loving son until death.
Joseph W. Smith
Father please send the letter enclosed with yours to Portsmouth, North Carolina and if eny come to you for John A. Burgess send them the first chance the same way you send mine. The letter is for Mrs Rebecca Burgess
Letter # 4
In Camp at Richmond
May 9 1863
Dear father, I now seat my self down to inform you that I am well and in good health and I hope that these few lines find you the same. Dear father I should like to see you all if I could but I no not when I shall but I hope I shall be fore long. We are now in camp but I don’t know when we shall be ordered a way but I think we shall stay hear for some time. I got a letter the 7 of this month that came in Joseph E. Salters that was rote the 31 day of March that stated that you was all well and I was glad to get it and you say that you have received a letter from me and the last letter you got was torn all most open. I have wrote a great meny and I guess the yankeys ___ ____ ____. Sorry to hear Ma----- Taylor is dead. (The rest of the letter is black and can not be read)
Letter # 5
June 2 1863
Dear father I now seat myself down to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines find you the same. I received a letter from you June the 1 that was dated January 28 Mr. ____ brout it to me. It stated that you are all well and I was glad to get it. You say that you received 4 letters from me and I have received 3 from you. I should like to come home one more time to see you all. We are in camp near the Sedar mountain but don'’ know how long we shall stay. Yours and all the boys is well and in good health. I was sorry to hear that Masaja (Micajah) Taylor is was ded but this I know he is better off. I want you to rite soon and send your letter to W G Styron goldsboro NC Give my love to all of mine and yourn friends. I hope the time will soon come when we shall all be together again if it is gods will. We fair very well now. Nothing more at present only remain your loving son until death.
Joseph W. Smith.
Letter # 6
Bunker Hill, Va
July 19 1863
Dear Father I now seat my self down to inform you that I am well and I hope that these few lines may find you the same dear father. I have rote a great miny letters to and have not received but very few from you Dear father I want to see you all the worst that I ever did in my life and I hope that we shall live to see each other again if it is gods will. All of the boys is well at present Give my love to all of my inquiron friends.
Nothing more at present only remain your loving son until death.
Joseph W. Smith
Letter # 7
Camp Taylor, Va
Feb.24th 1864
Dear Father, I now seat myself down to let you now that I am well at presant and I hope that these few lines may find you all the same. Father I have not received one letter from you since I got back to the Company. But tho I can't expect one yet for no one has got theirs yet from there. I want you to write by every one that gets home and I will write by everyone that get a furlough. At this time I want you to send me one pound of coffee by T if you have got it to spare, if he gets home. And I hope that he will get home for I want all of the boys to get home and return safe, for they all want to see their folks very bad. Father I hope that this war will not last much longer and I do not think it will. And I long to see that time come that is called peace. 1. hope to God that I shall live to see that time, if it is God's will. Give my best respects to all of my folks. Tall Aunt Hannah that I advertised Joseph E. Salter and I have not heard from him yet. I cep him in the papers 3 days but I hope that I shall hear from him yet. I shall do my best to hear from him. I would send you my _ if I could get it, but I can't get it. When I come through Richmond I did not have time to get it but I should like to have it.
Give my respects to all my and yours friends and save a good share yourself and nothing more at present, only am your loving son until death,
Joseph W. Smith
Capt. J.R.Potts Battery
Haskells Badalion
army of Va.
Letter # 8
Capt. J.R. Potts Battery Haskells Badalion Army of - Va. Camp Taylor Feb. 1864
Dear Father,
I now seat my self down to let you know that I am well and in good health and I hope that these few lines may find you all the same. Dear father I made out very good agetting to camp only I had a lony march before I got to Tarboro. But I was glad when I got to Tarboro and when I got to Tarboro I tuck the train and went to Goldsboro and stayed there one day and then left and went to camp. Fulford Robinson, poor fellow is ded. I have never heard from J.E. Salter yet. If you have got me eny boots send them by some of the boys if they will bring them to me if sertin. Willie will give his watch for my gun. I want you to send her by John Hill if he gets home and if he don't come send her by sum boddy that you can trust.
Nothing more to present only Remain your loving Son
until death
Joseph W. Smith
Give my love to all . I want you to send me a small tooth comb and some needles and thread. But you need not be bothared.
Note; There are two other letters but they are creased, torn, water stained, blurred and faded to a point that only a few scattered words can be read.
NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS 1861 – 1865 list the following
NC 1st Light Artillery Company H
SMITH, JOSEPH WILLIAM, Private Transferred from 1st Co G, 36 regiment N.C. Troops (2nd Regiment N.C. Artillery) in April 1862. Present or accounted for until transferred to Company F, 13th Battalion N.C. Light Artillery November 4, 1863.
COMPANY F.
Transferred from 1st Company H, 40th Regiment N.C. Troops (3rd Regiment N.C. Artillery) November 4, 1863 as private. Promoted to Corporal November-December 1863. Present and accounted for through December 1864.