Henry H. Hill to Luvenia Hill, 13 February 1865
nite
Camp Collumbia S.C nite
Febuary 13.65
My dear Wife this will inform you that i am well and hope this will find you the same I reach Collumbia sunday morning soon all rite and i wish i had stayed home 10 days more i would of been all rite some have stayed home 3 months and they dont doo eny thing with them I fared very well on the road we get plenty to feed on hear We have given up orangeburg [?] and the enemy is mooving for Collumbia our forces is all fell back hear and we will give the yanks some thing to doo when they get hear Oh how i am distressed about home i wish i was home i would stay and let the yanks take me and be done with it but my dear you will be in the lines of the enemy and doo the best you can you are better able to judge than i am doo as you think best i will take every care of my self that i can and you must doo the same may god help ous if you get intirely in the lines of the enemy i will come home and stay / but i dont like to desert my country but if we dont hold Collumbia and the enemy goes threw the state it will be awfull i hope that if the enemy goes threw by home they may not hurt you nor every thing we have but you must hide the meat out in some close place when you hear of them coming dont be scared at all by them like a good fellow you better hide the yanky rifle oubt some way on up in the loft grub looks very well i did not ride him but 2 days tel Mah to doo the best she can and she better hide out and buary things meat eny how i trust they may not go threw by our homes i will send Jas exchange rite off i want to see you just as bad as i did when i went home if we are not reckenised soon we are ruined intirely forever i wish all the secessionist that started this war had of had there necks broke be fore it commenced May god help you all and keep the enemy a way from you and our troops all so if you fall in their lines in tirely i will come home your Loving Husband untel Death /
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My dear you must doo as you think best and write to me and give me all the news if you can send a letter by mail doo so rite off and if not try and hear when Spell is coming back and write by him i am so disturbed about leaving i dont now what to doo i wish i was home if our home get in the yankey lines all will go home or to the enemy one But i trust all things will turn out rite with ous yet May god help ous threw safe if it was not for you and my little ones I would rather die than to live so hope you may all fare well and the yanks may not go threw by our homes May the lord help ous threw this ougly war and give ous peace soon on some terms or nother May the Lord bless and preserve ous all a live and keep you from all harm
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My dear you must doo the best you can and pray to god for the rest he is able to help you and them dear little ones you must try and make all you can to eat and feed the little ones if you can sell som of the cows you better I recken but i dont now what to doo this may be the last letter you may get in some time for i hear Charleston is fallen but i will rite and send it if i can get eny way to doo it some will be runing a way all the time i recken take every thing easy i had to pay Willis John 20$ more My dear take every thing easy and dont shed a tear about me i will take care of my self and you doo the same for me you no that i love you and them little ones and for my sake shed not a tear for me i am all rite you must burn your letters or buary them the yanks mite treat you worse by having them May god bless and preserve you all a live i will pray for you and you doo the same for me i must close doo let me beg you not to fret and take care of your self
your Loving Husband
8758
DATABASE CONTENT
(8758) | DL1411.082 | 118 | Letters | 1865-02-13 |
Tags: Anger, Defense of Home, Desertion/Deserters, Duty, Home, March to the Sea, Money, News, Peace, Sadness, Secession, "Yankees" (Confederate opinions of)
People - Records: 2
- (3098) [writer] ~ Hill, Henry H.
- (3100) [recipient] ~ Hill, Luvenia
Places - Records: 1
- (976) [origination] ~ Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
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SOURCES
Henry H. Hill to Luvenia Hill, 13 February 1865, DL1411.082, Nau Collection