Sara “Sallie” McGeachy (1839-1915) resided in St. Pauls, NC during the war. She was an older sister of Private John D. McGeachy, who served in Company D of the 51st North Carolina. One of the letters below was written to John. The other two letters were sent to Sallie’s oldest sister, Kate.
Written sideways at the bottom of the first letter is what appears to be a recipe for a tonic: sulphur, black pepper, deer blade, dock root, sassafras, sweet gum, heart leaves, spirits of turpentine. Handfull of each, tablespoon full of sul[phur].
These three letters are part of the Catherine McGeachy Buie Papers, Rubenstein Libray, Duke University. The images below were downloaded from an online exhibit of the Buie Papers: Folder 1862, Images 145-146 and Folder 1863, Images 187-190 and 233-234.
September 1862
June 1863
August 1863
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