Robert A. Rozier enlisted as a private in Company D, 51st Regiment North Carolina Troops on April 26, 1862. He served with the company until June 1864, when he was captured at Bermuda Hundred. He was confined at Point Lookout and Elmira until the end of the war.
The three letters below are part of the Catherine McGeachy Buie Papers, Rubenstein Library, Duke University. Images are available in an online exhibit of the Buie Papers. The folder/image numbers appear before each letter. Transcribed by Kirk Ward.
1862/139-140
Camp Lazaretto
August 10th 1862
Miss Cate, my ever
affectionate Cate yours came to hand on
yesterday which gave me grate joy to no
that you had not forgoten me in tirley I had
begun to think that you had for saken
some of the Scotch Tigers. I have no news
to to comunicate to you we hear nothin
but war and I am so tired of it I dont no
what to do I wish we had pease and we
all would return home a gain for I am
weared of a soldier life. Cate I went to
preachin last sunday at Wilmington and I
saw one of the Pretest gals I ever did sea she
maid me think of miss Cate so much
till I could not hardly leave her, you said
you noad I would like to Padle the Boat for those
butiful Black curls. I can take a hint after
I am nocked down. Cate come next Saturday and
look at us wash and cook and we will have
a good super for you and you no hoo if you will
bring her with you give my best Respects to
[upside down on same page]
Miss Flora and Saly I hope that god will
protect them untill the Scotch Tigers return
we are all faring very well plenty to eat and
a plenty to do we have to drill 4 hours and work
3 three There came in a English Vesal in
Wilmington this weak her load was Pouder and
dry goods mostly I beleave. Cate you must
excuse bad spelling and writing for I am so
hard to compose a letter for my mind is
tormented all most to death. I wish you a
happy life if I never more sea you. May the
love of our lord saive us all is the prear of
your umble sirvent. I will seal this letter
with a Kiss if you have no objection yours
truly Write soon your friend Bobe untill
death RR
1863/225-226
Sullivans Island August 23th 1863 S.C.
Miss Kate McGeachy
Friend Kate
I avail my self this after noon in writing you a few
lines to let you no that I am yet on the staig of action
this leaves me well and I hope this Epistle of friend
ship will reach you all in the best of helth
I received your kined letter that was wroat by you and
Sister I received it some days a go It was detained
some how or nother but it was good when it came
O, Miss Kate you cant tell how much it revived
me to hear from you all and to no that you had
not entirly for goten me I was more than glad to hear
that you past the time off so well satisfied in
old Bladen. I have no news to communicate to you
that will interest you, we are her now on Sulivans
Island but how long we will be hear I cant tell the
yankes are still shelling our Battries and they have
beat one side all most down of fort sumter I
sea no chance for Morisons [Morris] Island to stand much
longer[1] I am a fraid they will take it in a few days
and a grate many of our soldiers prisners but I
hope it will not fall upon the old fifty first
we have a grate deal of sickness here but non that is
daingerous at this time as I noes of too of our Co
died since we came her of Feaver, Atlas Caroliles [Carlisle] and
Neill McCrimon [McRimmon] they ware both good soldier and will
be missed in Co D I hope they are both to day at rest
[page 2]
John David [McGeachy] is well at this time but has bin for
some time very puny, we are near in a very large house
close to the water side we can look out on the Braud sea
and sea a bout 30 thrty ar forty Yankees Black riders
ther came 5 five moniters close to fort sumter this morn
ing before day and when it got lite our canon plaid on
them but did not hert them as we noes of they can go
weher they pleas I beleave I think our hopes for Charleston
looks very gloomy at this time but maby it is because I dont
no the natior of our case, Sister said in her last letter
that you was going to teach scool a gain in Bladen
and I will Back this letter to Smiths Bridg
Kate I have waited and looked patian for a furlow but
I sea no chane now for a Furlow they dont give them
her now and I dont know as I ever will get one with out
I get one to go to my graive,[2] but if I was prepaired
for death why should we fear death it is only leaving
this troublesom world for a better, oh God helpe us
to live near to the, and when we come to die lette us
[?] the death of the richous. Kate if I never more
sea you I return my thanks to you for your respe
cts, to wardes me, write when this comes to hand and
tell me all the news a bout the Scotch Girles
Kate when you came to Magnolia you bewiched several
boyes I tell you they ware in quiring on ever side
who you was I think if they live to get out of this
war they will make you say yess or no, I will
close for this time I will write a few lines to sister
I remain your Kind friend until death R Rozier
1863/223-224
Sulivans Island S. C. August 23/3
My ever dear sister I once more in life donate
a part of my time this butiful sabath eavning
in writing you a fiew lines to in form you
that I am yet a mong the living we are all
well at this time and I hope these fiew lines
will reach you injoying the best of helth
dear sister yours and Miss Kates came to hand
some fiew dayes a go it got misplaised
some how or nother but I was mor than
glad to reseive it. I got a letter from
Home yesturdy and they was all well and
I was glad in dead to hear that they ware
all well. I hope God will continue his
kindness to wardes them and give them
helth and strenth that they may be able
to bare all of thir troubles, o God I
I do hope and trust that we may all live
to meat a gain in time of pease dear
sister a soldier life is a hard life in
dead we have a heape of trials and troubles
O that I could say not a waive of trouble
role a cross my peasful breast, this him[3]
has become my favorite tune I wish you would
[page 2]
sing it once an a while for my sake. Sister
do pray kiss my dear mother for me for
I do love her the best thin on earth there
is not a hour in the day but what I think
of her and dream of her so often
Sister Amos[4] sais give his love to you all he
is as well as usural and I beleave he is a good
boy he gives me grate satisfaction to have
a kined brother a long with one like we are
her he is a coocking now for me to write
A C and E C is well and sais they wish to
be remembered by you all. Sister I will
not try to tell you the news for there
is but little the Yankees are doing all
they can to take Charleston and I escpect they
will, there is a dread ful day not far hence
I can sea it plain, I hope god will bee
with us and direct us for our good
give my love to all in quiring friends
if any write soon soner soonest I would
like to hear from the Bladen girls nothin
more I remain your loving brother Bob until
death fair the well
Notes:
[1] Morris Island fell to the Yankees on September 7, 1863.
[2] Rozier finally got a furlough a few weeks after writing this letter.
[3] Line from the hymn “When I Can Read My Title Clear”
[4] Robert Rozier’s brother
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