Robin Sterling
Two Civil War Letters
Tue Jul 24 15:34:59 2001


The following are transcripts of a couple of civil war letters loaned to me many years ago by my aunt. To my knowledge, they have never before been "published." I'm hoping these will be of interest to the board and may add to the cumulative knowledge of the time. I don't know the unit affiliation of Mr. Hunter. Comments and background information is welcomed.

Letter to Elizabeth Hunter from A.J. Hunter-June 6th, 1862

Camp Near Richmond
Mrs. Elizabeth Hunter

Dear Wife, I this morning take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines. This leaves me in common health. I received your letter the 17th, was glad to hear that you was well, it gave me much pleasure. We have been marching through mud and swamps and over fences. We left Yorktown the 31st of May and after a stormy night, rain-which we taken all night without any shelter whatever, and a small allowance of hard bread for breakfast, and a small allowance of bacon which was our daily allowance, and about 10 o'clock in the morning, we were all called out in line to get ready for battle and informed we had the Yankees to whip. We had to place on our hats a piece of white cloth so we could distinguish our men from the Yankees. We then marched off some nine miles to the lines where the fighting began at 11 o'clock and was kept up until dark. We was in the battle from half past two o'clock until half past five. Then we fell back for the purpose of getting ammunition. At dark, we marched from the battle to get the dead and living hauled from the field. We then were drawn back from the field in order to give the Yankees a chance to bury their dead.

The loss of our regiment was very heavy. My company carried on the field 33 men were lost killed and severely wounded, 10 others wounded.

You asked about Joseph Fields, the last account I had of him, he was in the hospital and Sean Liffmond' Company yesterday was all well and in fine spirits and since they had not heard from him since I went to the hospital.

Your loving husband until death,

A.J.Hunter to Elizabeth Hunter

Letter to Elizabeth Hunter from A.J. Hunter-August, 30th, 1863

Charleston, South Carolina
Mrs. Elizabeth Hunter

I now embrace the opportunity of writing you a few lines in answer to your very kind letter which I received in the line. Sure was glad to hear that you was well. I am well at the present time, hoping that these few lines will find you enjoying the same. Elizabeth, I have nothing of importance to write you at this present time, more than the Yankees are still bombarding Fort Sumpter and Morris Island and there was one of our regiments with two regiments of troops and one of them was 23rd Guard regiment. They had been on Morris Island and our Regiment went over to relieve them and as they was coming over from Morris Island to James Island, they was fired upon by our own men from Fort Mallery and sunk and five of the 23 escaped that and got here by swimming two miles.

Well, I think I will be at home in a few days if nothing happens. I have sent up my papers and they have been returned and approved and I think I will be all right after a few days resting.

Your loving Husband,

A.J. Hunter to Elizabeth Hunter