Colonel John L. Cantwell Documents

NOTE: all images below were taken by Kirk Ward. All the documents, except for John Sinclair’s letter, are located in the John Lucas Cantwell Papers 3027, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Sinclair letter is from The Papers of Zebulon Baird Vance, Frontis W. Johnston, ed. Volume One, 1843-1862, Raleigh, State Department of Archives and History, 1963, pp. 282-283.

Letter from James D. Usher to John Cantwell, 22 Dec. 1864

NOTE: Usher was Cantwell’s older half-brother, serving as captain of the U. S. Revenue Cutter James C. Dobbin. Cantwell, a member of the Immortal 600, was imprisoned at Fort Pulaski when Usher wrote the letter.

U.S. Rev Cutter Dobbin

Portland December 22^nd/64

My Dear John

I have just received

your letter of the 16^th inst in it you do

me gross injustice I replyed to both of

your letters and remitted you money to

full extent of my ability, small sums

it is true, but all I could and sufficient

to have make you comfortable at least

for a time, why you never received my

letters I can not divine, I regret you

should write me such a letter for while

regretting that we should have thought

so differently upon the unfortunate

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State of the country. I know that the

causes which led to your action were

in your view honorable and praise-

worthy and though I deemed you

mistaken and bitterly regretted that

you and Edward both should have

taken the part you did still as you

say in regard to myself I supposed

your motives were to you satisfactory

and I have not sought in consequence

to impugn your brotherly feeling, on the

contrary I have and still believe that

had the chances of war placed me

where you could have assisted me, that

you would have done it cheerfully and

willingly, and I feel the consciousness

that I have endeavored to do the same

to you, that I have failed is not my

my fault but arises from some cause that

I could not control or as I have before

said divine. Should you receive

this letter I hope you will reply to it

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at once. I suppose from the locality

of its date that you are about to be

exchanged and perhaps may be

before this can reach you, if not let

me know it at once I am glad to

hear of the welfare of the different

members of the family you speak of

and desire you to convey my remember-

-ances to them. In a former letter

I expressed my deep regret at hearing

of the death of your beautiful and

estimable wife. I know the great

extent of your loss and fully sympa-

thize with you. I hope your children

will continue well and that you

may soon be permitted to see them

I shall be glad to her from you

immediately in reply to this

I remain truly your Brother

J D Usher

Letter to Geroge Davis, Atty. Genl. of the Confederacy

Fort Pulaski Ga 6^th Febry 1865

My Dear Sir

Believing that it is not contraband & that the

Federal Authorities dont desire to conceal the facts, I write

to you to state briefly the suffering and privation to which

we are subjected & I challenge a denial. Since the

1st day of January last our ration has been per

day 10 ounces of corn meal

about 4 “ “ Wheat Bread

Salt &

more pickels! than we can eat; & until very

recently this too was the only diet for those of us who

were sick. Three fourths of our number are in consequence

sick with Scurvy, Diarrhoae, & Coughs. & Supplies have

not been allowed to reach such of us as had friends

to send them but were returned and we are directed

to apply to Genl Wessels at Washington DC for permits to

receive them, a number of applications have been made but

as yet no reply has been received. I write requesting that

these facts be made known in the proper quarter. To our

enemies I have no complaint to make.

Hon Geo Davis} Very truly yr friend

Atty Genl CSA} Jno L Cantwell Capt

Richmond Va} 3^rd NCI Prisr War

List of Sick at Fort Pulaski

Letter to Cantwell from Lieutenant George Crapan

Letter Seeking Employment after the War

Hillsboro NC 17^th July 1865

Dear Sir

Col De Rosset informs me that you will probably resume business in Wilmington, personal feeling, affection & a desire to relieve my relatives here of the tax of feeding me from means that are limited, make me very solicitous to obtain employment. In this vicinity there are no openings. I therefore, recalling your frequent evidences of partiality to myself, take the liberty of begging an additional kindness & request that you will take me into your employ at such salary as you may think justified by your interests or if your business will not permit a salary at present, so anxious am I to return home that I shall be content to do so for my board. (Bread & meat & a pair of blankets in the office if no better can be had) promising that my best efforts shall not be wanting & feeling assured that that they will not be exerted in vain to give satisfaction.

I trust my dear sir that you will give this a favorable consideration& that you will afford me the opportunity of renewing my residence in Wilmington, which otherwise I fear I shall not be permitted to secure for some time.

The Colonel has promised to write to you in my behalf trusting that our united effort will have a successful issue.

I am very Respectfully

Jno L Cantwell

Dr A J De Rosset

Wilmington NC

Military Exemption

Authorization to Procure Cotton and Passport

Oaths of Allegiance

John Sinclair Letter to Governor Zebulon Vance

Private

Lumberton Oct 27th 1862

This is entirely a private letter upon private business which I trust you will excuse, notwithstanding the claims upon your attention & time of higher and more important duties. I have been just informed by a letter from a friend that Col Cantwell of the 51st Regt. N. C. T. Stationed at Kinston has resigned, — Owing to the following circumstances It is said that for five consecutive days he was unfit for duty by reason of drunkenness and that of the most beastly character, And being about to be cashiered for the offence his resignation being tendered it was accepted and he is no longer in the service, It is alledged that even if Seniority was allowed to prevail in filling the vacancy in a Regt. so recently formed as the 51st the qualities of the next officers in rank, so far as excessive indulgence in ardent spirits is concerned utterly unfits him for the position, not to mention the fact that he is totally unacquainted with military matters, The next field officer is the Major, a young man of the name of McKethan, a son of the carriage maker at Fayetteville of that name. Now I am burning to be in the service once more, will you not permit me to lift my arm, one more time, in defence of “the Old North State.” Gov if you have not the power directly a word from you would secure my appointment at Richmond. I am aware that this may seem to be asking too much, and so it is in one respect, and there was a man living who knew the circumstances of my case, from beginning to end as you do, God is my witness that I would never have troubled you, But I have not, therefore I appeal to you as a man whom God in his providence has placed in your present elevation to do justice and vindicate the rights of the innocent and the oppressed, You know how I have been dealt with I ask you to assist me, not for anything I have done or may do for you, but for the sake of truth and right.

If I cannot get the command of the 51st will you give me authority to raise a body of state troops for the defence of our own glorious North Carolina, I can do it, if you will but give me the authority Your obedient

servant & friend