The transcripts on this page were downloaded from the Private Voices website (https://altchive.org/node/298) and are Copyright © 2014, eHistory. All rights reserved. I have added a NOTE to each letter. Everything else is exactly as it appears on the Private Voices site.
The original documents are in the North Carolina State Archives, Record # SR.342.1. I hope to get original images of the letters next year.
Index to Letters
Private John Boyette requesting a discharge for being under 18 years old.
Private Jacob Herring requesting a transfer to another regiment.
Private Thomas Walters requesting a transfer to another regiment.
Private Cicero Harris requesting he be detailed due to health.
Mr. G. P. FormyDuval objecting to the discharge of D. J. Register.
Private Samuel Guy requesting a discharge for health reasons.
Vance 136 (from Private John Boyette)
Transcribers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: November, 2011
NOTE: Private John A. Boyette enlisted in Company B, 51st Regiment North Carolina Troops in Duplin County on March 17, 1862. He was 15 years old when he joined Company B. Governor Vance apparently did not grant Boyette’s request for a discharge; the young soldier continued to serve with his unit until the end of the war. He was wounded once, on June 1, 1864, losing part of a finger. Boyette was paroled at Goldsboro on May 8, 1865.
Camp 51 Regt N.C.T.
Near Kennans ville N.C.
June the 8 1863
Governor Sir
I have the honor of
addresing you this eavning on the theme
of Being in sevis to wich I was persuad
ed By my officers to enlist under them
I am not yet eighteen years of age
& I have Bin in Servis since
March the 17. 1862
& I heare that any one under the age of
18 can get clare if they have there Rights
& By the Request of my Father I
now have the pleasure of informing you
of it & I hope that you will Respond
to it soon it is not on the account
of my Patrotism that I wish to go home
But I wish to have my Rights if
they are to be had & I here that they
are My age is 16.10. 24. Born Aug the
10, 1847. You can address me at
Kennansville N.C. Co. B, 51.Regt.N,C,T,
[page 2]
Ceare of Capt [????]
Nothing more at present
Respectfully yours
Private John A. Boyett
I am son of A, A, Boyett
To Govenor Z, B, Vance
John A Boyett Private
Co. B 51st Regt
N.C.T.
Address me soon yours
respectfuly R.M
Vance 19 (from Mrs. Charlotte Rowell)
Transcriber: Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: August, 2010
NOTE: Private John N. Register was not released from service as requested in the letter below. He served with Company G, 51st Regiment North Carolina Troops until severely wounded in the right shoulder on June 17, 1864. Register survived the war.
Brunswick county NC nov the 23 1862
adress to the honerble govnor frome
a old widow lady that has a
grat many servents and other poperty
and has no person to atend to enny
bisness at tall for me I would be
than[k]ful to you if you would assist
me you would a asist me agrate deal
if you will have John N regester
detailed from serves to at tend
to bisnss for me he is the best overseer
that is in my noing all the men is gon
from a bout her pretty much and there
is noboddy that I can get to pertect
my servents for me I can not doo with
out some boddy and I rather have him
then ennyone elce I no of I have no
boddy but my self and 2 daughters
and sense he has ben in servis
my property has ben goin to
destruction no boddy to sea to it
if you will have him sent home
you will doo me a grate favore
[page 2]
he is in the 51 NC redgment
under capt Co g I must
close with saying I put my trust in
you as a friend to as sist me a
cording to my request
Mrs Sharlot rowell
[added at bottom of page]
Gov has no
power to detail
an overseer
ZBV
Vance 205 (from Private Jacob Herring)
Transcribers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: November, 2011
Proofers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Proof Date: November, 2011
NOTE: This letter and the one following it show that disloyalty was not the only reason men deserted the army. Private Herring was arrested for desertion in January 1863. He remained with Company I, 8th Regiment North Carolina Troops through October 1864. No further records after that date.
[Herring served as a private in Co. I, 8th NC Inf.]
this October 12th 1863
Brooklyn PO N.c
Govrner Vance I this day Seat my
self to beg pardon un to you and
I hope that you pardon unto me
I nowe that I have don rong and
I am sorry for the Crime I will state
to you my caise I in July 1861 volun
terd to Julious rite [1st Lt. Julius Wright] hee told mee
that hee had acompany nearley maid
up and when the truth Caim out
hee onley had seven men so hee tuck
ous and [???]d us in acompany from
Alamance County and hee Got thir first
lieutenants plaise and wee staid in that
Co untill wee wais tuck prisoners at
Roan oak after the perroal wais out
I went Back to the old Co again and
tharee wais only one man in the Campany
that I ever sawe bee fore and hit seam
id like the had aspite at ous as wee
wais from Columbus so I got tirde of
thare Gaim and I left the Co and
I do beg unto you to let mee go
to som other Regment I did not
leave bee cause I wais a coward nor
[page 2]
bee Cause I wais afierd of servis
and I am as willing to pay my best
in the Survis as any one in the Con
federsy & Govener vance bee pleas let
mee go some whare elce please let
mee Go to Captain [?]Kinsons Co in the
50 Regment I have fore brothers in
that Co or to Mr Ruyes Co or to
mr Rankins Co I have ac cuaintences
in theas Companyis and if you will
sine mee to eather of thos Co
I will assure you that I will bee
as faith full a Soldier thare is in
the Con fedrsay I no that I owe my
Servisis and I am willing to pay
them please Govener answer
this for I am tirerde of lying
out yours moust obedient servant
Jacob herring
Brooklyn
NC
Vance 206 (from Private Thomas Walters)
Transcribers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: November, 2011
Proofers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Proof Date: November, 2011
NOTE: Thomas F. Walters was conscripted in February 1863. He failed to report and was arrested in May of that year. On May 25, 1863, he was enrolled in Company A, 51st Regiment North Carolina Troops. He deserted in July 1863 while his unit was at Sullivan’s Island. Walters enlisted in Company B, 50th Regiment North Carolina Troops on February 28, 1864. He was later court martialed for an unspecified offense, likely for deserting from the 51st Regiment. Walters survived the war.
This october 18th 1863
Mr Governer vance dear sir
I this day Seat my self
to in form you that I
wais prest in to Servis
and when I wais tuck I
wais making proper at[??]
to go to acompany and
the Carried mee to the
51 regiment and I left &
Caim home & I neaver Sined
any in listing roles I
onley resieved the State
bounty and I beg unto
you to let mee go to
Some other Company that
I have ackwaintances in
I have bin at home a
bout one monthe & ef
you will let mee go
to some other Co
[page 2]
I will do the best
duty that is in my
power I nowe that
I owe my Servis to
the Confedersa and
I am willing to pay
hit please Answer
thos Cuestions
youre obedient
servent
Thomas walters
Brooklyn
No ca
Vance 212 (from Cicero F. Harris)
Transcribers: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: November, 2011
Proofer: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Proof Date: November, 2011
NOTE: This letter provides further evidence that the Marine Hospital in Wilmington was Confederate Hospital #5 (see the article about Wilmington’s Civil War hospitals). It also tells a common sad tale of illness during the war. Harris served in Companies B and D, 10th Battalion NC Heavy Artillery. He was captured on December 21, 1864 and died a few months later at Fort Delaware prison.
Wilmington N C
mareine Hospital No 5
Oct. 25 63
I take my pen in
hand to ask of you
A favor I am in
verry bad health and
I have had the consuntion
about 5 years and I
your humble servant
I beg of you for A
detail in A Hospital
as clerk or in commersary
as A commersary sargent
or enny detail you
are pleased to give
me I want leave
wilmington if dont
I believe I shal dye
soon
Cicero F Harris
you humble Servant
Gov Vance
Vance 58 (from G. P. FormyDuval)
Transcriber: Andrea Cudworth & Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: October, 2011
Proofer: M. Ellis
Proof Date: November, 2011
NOTE: See the blog post about this letter for background information.
Mr Z B Vance March the 3..1863
Sir I take my pen in hand
to write you afew lines in order to let you
Know that I saw the Capt John Inmon of Bruns
wick County N.C and he did inform me that thay
was apetition sent to you in order to release one
D J Register from the survice of his country and
if it is so I want you if you please send it to me for
we want to Know hoo it was sign it for we cant
find out but three men that it was presenant [??]
[?] git and too of them refuese to sign it and if
it you have got it it is undauted aforge one we
want to find out sumthing about it I will say to
you that I have live in one mile and half a
bout teen year and I no him well I will
surtify that he Register is the meneast man I no
of I heard him swar to one ly and hear of him
swaring to anther he has bin run from Columbus
County for hogs steeling and from S.C. to
brunswick County for steeling and the ant no biger
lyre in my knowing than he is I will apeal to
your honer if you have got that petition to send it
back to me and if you dont believe me send back
to the clerk of the county court of Columbus County
and you can git his carrectar in full I no if he
come back the poor women will fair bad for he will
steel anny thing he can git holt of and if he git
chance to come home he will ly out in the green
samp so I will Close yours O.B.
address me at Bug hill po { G.P. Formyduval
Clumbus County N.C
Vance 11 (from Samuel J. Guy)
Transcriber: Michael Ellis
Transcription Date: August, 2010
NOTE: See the blog post about this letter for background information.
No the 12 1862
Governer vance dier Sir by
request of my docter i drop you
a few lines for infermation i have
bin under his handes for severl
year and more so in the last six
monthes i suffer vary much with
the rumatice in my hip and my
liver he advised mee to get a dis
charge or bee deetailde to a farme
to my one or some one elce that
i cold doo more good at that than
eny thing elce for i warnt fit
for servies nor never wold bee
a gain i have bin in servies for
six month and has bin of now
servies at tall of eny importance
dier sir if this meetes with my requ
est i will send you a stiffacite
from my docter pleas grant mee
this if you pleas as my health
is vary feeble and i have
[page 2]
five brothers in the same compen
ny and now one at home to cair
on a farme i am now in
fayetesville as garde but cant
bee of much im portence
pleas ancier this and give mee
your advice pleas excuse
bad riting and bad spelling
and i remain yours truley
untell death
Samuel James Guy to
Govener Vance
rhauley NC Comberland
County dyrc your ancier
to fayetsville N C
Govener Vance
[the Governer has added at the bottom of the page]
Gov no power to detail or discharge him