1863 North Carolina Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER - Camp Bragg in Arkansas CONTENT

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1863 North Carolina Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER - Camp Bragg in Arkansas CONTENT:
$230.27

Civil War Letter

Charles Wetmore Broadfoot (1842-1919) was astudent at the University of North Carolina who interrupted his studies to enlist as a private in the Confederate Army. Serving first with Co. H, 1st North Carolina Infantry, Broadfoot mustered out after 7 months service inNovember 1861. A few months later, he enlisted as a private in Co. D, 43rd North Carolina Infantry. In September 1862, however, he was commissioned as an Aide-de-Camp to Gen.Theophilus Hunter Holmes, his uncle,and later enteredthe western theatre of the war when Holmes was made the commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department. When Holmes was sent back East to command the Reserve Forces in North Carolina, Broadfoot followed him and in May 1864 was commissioned as major of the 1st Battalion, North Carolina Reserves — most of them mere boys with little or no prior military training. A few months later, Broadfoot was promoted to Colonel and served with the reserves at Weldon, Virginia.

Hilderman’s Book

After the war, Broadfootwas elected to the state legislature in 1870, served as dean of the Cumberland County Bar and was elected a trustee of the University of North Carolina in 1911.

Readers are referred to Walter C. Hilderman’s book on Theophilus Hunter Holmes for more information pertaining to Broadfoot.

Charles Wetmore Holmes wrote this letter transcribed below to his mother from Camp Bragg in southern Arkansas — only “40 miles from the Red River Valley” — where Price’s army had retreated following the evacuation of Little Rock some two months earlier. Effectively cut off from communication with the rest of the Confederacy by Union control of the Mississippi River, Charles tells his mother he longs for a letter from her and for news from his home state of North Carolina.

TRANSCRIPTION

Headquarters, Department of Arkansas
Camp Bragg
November 26th 1863

Dear Ma,

Again I have an opportunity of writing to you and I most sincerely wish that I had a letter of yours before me to answer. It is now almost five months since I received a letter from home. General [Theophilus] Holmes received one a day or two since from Fayetteville dated sometime in October. Today two came for John [Hinsdale] but as he is not here, I do not know what they contain.

A courier line is being established between our headquarters and some point east of the Mississippi River. It will probably be in operation in a few days and then I hope to hear from you regularly. I will write to you as soon as it has been determined from what point east of the river the couriers will start. This line will be a source of great convenience to us and I am waiting impatiently for the tie when I can hear from you.

General Holmes speaks of sending [his son] Theophilus over with dispatches in a short time but everything in the army is so uncertain that I do not much think he will go. However, you may see him at home before Xmas.

We have fallen back and fallen back until now we are but 40 miles from the Red River Valley. I hope that our next move will be northward. I would like much to drive the Yankees from Little Rock and I believe that we could do it this winter. At any rate, I am willing to try. From all accounts, they do not exceed as much in number and our men are anxious to move forward. A want of arms is the main reason of our not attempting it at present.

I see from Fed. papers thatTom Fuller[(1832-1901)] has beatenRobert Strange[(1823-1877)] for Congress in our district and that the state generally has gone for that party. Do ask Pa to write to me and explain all these things. I can hardly believe them. Everything we hear from North Carolina comes to us through Fed. papers and they represent a large conservative, or peace, or Union, or submission party in the state. I do not believe that any such party exists but would like very much to know exactly how things stand — particularly in Fayetteville.

John H[insdale] left here yesterday to make a visit to some friends at Lewisville. He will be absent about a week. I wish he was here to tell us the news in his letters. There are a number of Little Rock refugees at Lewisville and he will have a fine time. I went down myself about two weeks ago and spent a few days there very pleasantly. You can tell the boys that while there I went hunting and killed a wild goose and several ducks. It is the greatest place for game I ever saw. These geese and ducks light in the corn fields in great numbers. There are also plenty of deer, turkeys, prairie hens or grouse, and all kinds of smaller game. I do not think that I ever did more shooting in my life, killing about once in three times. However, I laid all that to the gun &c. I have been ‘possum hunting several times from the camp here and have always been successful.

I believe I mentioned in my last letter to you that I had bought a horse at last. He is a first rate one but cost me $800. I hope he will carry me through the war.

I hope you will write me a letter often or twelve pages at the first opportunity, making up for lost time. You must bear in mind that you are my only correspondent and we very rarely see a newspaper from your side of the [Mississippi] river. I wrote Pa a long letter from Arkadelphia which I hope he will answer soon.

The 13th of November has rolled over my head twenty-one times. I used to think it a long way off but it came on me suddenly. While on this subject, I will mention that I am perfectly well andslightlyfat, weighing about 170 pounds. Arkansas thus far has agreed with me finely. I suppose that [brother] George has been in some of those recent fights in Virginia. I only hear from him through you.

As I have finished my paper, I will close. Give my kindest regards [to] Miss Hale and all my friends in Fayetteville and love to all the family. You have never mentioned Lucy and her children in your letters to me. Say to her that I sometimes wish for some of her nice cooking &c.

Your affectionate son, — Charles

TERMS

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