Private Robrt F. Little enlisted in the Scotch Tigers (Company D, 51st North Carolina) at age 19. He wrote the following letters during his first six months of service. Little was wounded in the knee at Drewry’s Bluff and died a few weeks later in a Petersburg hospital.
The letters are part of the Catherine McGeachy Buie Papers, Rubenstein Library, Duke University. Images of the letters are available online. The numbers preceding the letters indicate the folder and image number of each letter. For example, 1862/53 stands for Folder 1862, Image 53.
Transcribed by Kirk Ward.
1862/53
Camp Homes, Near Wilmington N. C.
May the 16th 1862
Miss _____. I take the present opportunity of writing you a line
in order to inform you that I am blessed with reasonable
health at this time, and hope these lines will reach and find you
enjoying the same. My dear girl, you ought to see how we fare
here in camp, we get plenty but you can guess how it
is prepared. We are about moving from a bad place to a worse
a distance of some three miles. Miss I have not forgotten you
although I am deprived of all the pleasures of home, and cannot
even so much as see the Girls with which I have enjoyed so much
pleasure, My dear Girl, please do not forget me but try to
alleviate my sorrows to some extent by sending me some of
your lovely expressions as often as you can conveniently,
for I am more than glad to hear from the neighborhood of
home at any time, We have two wells from which we get
water for domestic use, but we go to the branch to wash.
We cannot so much as wash our hands at the well.
So my Dear Girl; When this you see remember me
Yours affectionately,
R. F. Little.
Direct to Wilmington in
care of J. R. McDonald [Captain, commanding Co. D]
1862/103
[Letter is torn on both sides]
Camp Lasaretta June the 13th 1862
Miss Catherine McGeachy
Dear Friend
it is with pleasure that I seat myself to respond to your Letter which I
received the other day, I was exceedingly proud to hear from you
I hope this Letter will still find you well we are all well [TORN]
[TORN] hood boys with the exception of A J Shaw [TORN]
[TORN] Currie and Mr Klarpp who has the mumps [TORN]
but have not been on duty in some days past I think [TORN]
well in a short time there is some more of the company [TORN]
in the hospital but they are not from our part of the country [TORN]
no news that would make you laugh nothing about the enemy coming up
the river or to fort fisher or caswell we are living in a fine place now
it is sandy and tolerable high it favers the hill below the big desert a good
deal We came up to make a battery we made it three time and had the
guns mounted the superintender came over to inspect our work and had
it thrown down and made in another way we are nearly done again
but there is one man here now that I expect will have it made to
his notion I wish we were to stay here all the time and take charge
of the battery but I think as soon as we finish it we will go back
to camp davis I would as soon go some where els. Kate you will pleas
excuse this badly written letter and write as soon as you can and tell
me about every thing you can see or think about [TORN]
[TORN] to keep the yankees out of our much [TORN]
[TORN] way I think the Tigers will fight well [TORN]
I hope the girls have not forgotten us for if we only [TORN]
believe that we were forgotten by all the girls there [TORN]
[page 2]
fighting I am a fraid the boys say they are fighting for you all
and I believe they are for I never saw so much writing in my Life
every day as soon as noon hours come they come in and sing till they
get tired then for writing and ask them who they are addressing mother
or cousin or something they will say that parson someboddy and see
the office and mother and haha or cousin hardly hears from
[TORN] all there is something mysterious in it I can
[TORN] see you I would make you laugh [TORN]
[TORN] but every thing Kate I will close [TORN]
[TORN] spelling for the facilities in camp are bad [TORN]
[TORN] write soon for I wish I could hear from near home
every week Good bye Kate for this time
I remain yours as ever R. F. Little
P S I forgot to tell you about J D [John D. McGeachy, Kate’s brother] he has the mumps and
his eye is sore though he is not verry sick he is not on duty
I think he will be well in a few days or hope so at least
Frank Currie and J C Conoly brought some goodies down
in a box or two and you aught to been down to see us eat
I don’t care if a box would come every week
Yours R F Little
[TORN] [Duncan] C Evans is sick too he is about like the rest of the
[TORN] he has not the mumps he has diarea
[TORN] the mumps also he is better today
[TORN] able to take the spade Monday
Yous R F L
1862/121
Camp Lasaretto near Wilmington NC July the 17th 1862
Miss Kate McGeachy
Friend Kate I received your very kind letter a few days ago we hardly ever keep
account of the days of the month so I can not tell the date I was very glad to hear
from you and all the people in the settlement for you always has the Goodness to tell
all the sick or if any thing uncommon takes place you will say all about it
Your kind letter found me in Good health and this Leaves me still enjoying the
Same blessing all the Lumberbridge boys are well at this time I say Lumberbridge
because I know they are all you are particular anxious to hear from the health of
the company is very Good we have some men sick but none dangerous as yet
one mr musselwhite is very sick he was taken with misery in his right side and
now has a very hot fever We are still at the same place working at the same
battery we are ready to raise it we commenced raising it before dinner and got
the first sill about half up and knocked off it is very heavy and dangerous
I think we will get it up this evening it will be a strang fort when it is done
we have no news in camp at all only the news from Richmond and I know you
have heard that in every shape and form we were successful thanks be to him
who has in his power to give us the victory and Let us be careful Least we give
the praise due to him to our soldiers the boys went to preaching Sunday and
saw some men from the battle at Richmond They were wounded one was wounded
in the head another in the left hand and another in the hand and leg they
they must have looked pitiful they said it was a dreadful time at richmond
the one that was wounded in the hand was in the fight five days our sergeant
McRimon was at richmond his brother was wounded and he wished to see him
he went and saw him but that was all he could do he was so badly wounded
he could not endure the fatigue home the sergeant was in some hope of his recovery
but not much he said too that there was five thousand men in the hospital
wounded in every member of the boddy it must have been heart rending to see
so many men in pain and to hear their moans would have melted the heart of
[page 2]
a rock if there is any such heart as that it is even heart rending
to simply think of so many being cut off in such a short time to meet
their eternal doom peace may be established but it will not bring back
the loved one that were so dear to their frieds and Relations neither will
it reconcile the mothers who spent so many sleepless nights in watching
over her dear little ones who has now been called to die for his countrys
rights we may be satisfied as to the victory which it has pleased God to give
us but it will not heal the wounded though it does look as if men would
get weary when they hear of dredful battles and a great sacrifice of human
life but patriotism speaks from within it is glory to die for one own
country Kate you must excuse me for not having any news and also excuse such
writing as we soldiers write I wish I new your sweet heart so I could tell you all
about him if he is one of the Tigers I would know all about him and if he is not
it may be I hear from him some time I would not accuse you of having
a sweet heart if I thought you had none I have a sweet heart myself
and I think every boddy has one just because I have one You said you
could not tell all the men in the country I will not ask about every
any more Just tell me how many apple and peaches are ready to eat and
and how much brandy you intend to make if you make any send a jug full
down and tell me also how may potatoes you think will be made
how many watermellons cucumbers &c tell me all this and the
news you think of you will please excuse bad writing for the
facilities in camp are not good so you have an idea how it is
I will close by asking you to write when an opportunity presents
it self and believe me to be your friend in truth
R. Fracis Little
1862/141
Fort French August the 19th 1862
Miss Kate McGeachy
Friend Kate I Received your letter of the 4th inst which I Read with
interest and as usual was more than happy to hear from you as I
am confident you would write the news in General and tell if any
thing happened in the neighborhood and I am happy that nothing
but pleasure and peace [?] that every boddy is well or at least no one
dieng or sick or mad or uneasy Your letter found me well and
in high spirits, all the Lumberbridge boys are tolerable well, we have
Gib Little sick, and one or two others, Gib had a spell of fever
but not very bad he is up and walking about the camp yesterday
and today, Gib Currie has the fever also he is better but not able
to be up, besides these two we have several other cases I will
Give you their names as you say you have two or three sweethearts
that are not Lumberbridge boys, their names are as follows Jas Mc
McMillan & Malloy Patterson are all the un maried men, Isaac Taylor
Jas Smith, Bright wood, Jackson stone, and I like to forget
A J Evans, all these men are better now but some of them have been
very sick, we have a regular doctor for steward of our hospital
he is a fine man and I think has a very Good Idea of medicine
and things in that line, we had an [?] in camp ever since
Sunday night, we were all about lying down to rest our mortals
when orders came to our officers to be ready to march in a minutes
notice, the major had us to cook one days provision and have two
days provision raw to take with us, you never saw such a runing
about and packing up and by twelve oclock yesterday we had
our knapsacks packed and our haversacks full of bread and
[page 2]
meat, and were waiting for the order to march but they never come
and we went to work, we ate our provision this morning but we had
more cooked yet for fear we might be like the foolish virgins, the orders
sead that we must march to Swansboro onslow county to meet some
Yankees who floated up and began to Land, it was reported that there
was three thousand, our Regt was ordered and is now in wilmington
waiting farther orders, it is reported in camp today that the Reg will leave
at two oclock for Magnolia but I don’t believe it, I think we will
stay here untill we finish this work, it will take nearly two months yet
if we progress like we have been doing, You appear in your letter to be
unable to tell me all I told you I would like to know if you must count
the stars Jupiter moon & mars. Potatoe time will be over and fruit
and cider will be all gone I will not be so hard this time, I will only
ask you if fodder is ready and does the hay crop look favorable in
General, and will you make as may peas as you used to, and how big
the potatoes are &c together with all this you must tell me how the health
of the community is, you will pleas excuse me for you know it is
natural for me to ask questions, I gave your love to your sweetheart
and he said he was much obliged to me, and I said not at all sir, he
said send her my love and I now send it to you. You must accept
it I know you will, I will close this letter by asking you to give
my love to my ____________ and write soon as convenient,
May each year that doth insue
Bring peace and comfort into you
And may your life glide sweetly on
Until your savior calls you home,
I remain as ever your
Friend in truth
R. F. Little
1862/189
Camp Allen below Kinston NC
Nov the 15th 1862
Miss Catherine McGeachy,
Friend Kate I avail myself of this
opportunity to answer your letter of the 13th
of oct you think no doubt by this time
I have forgotten you but I will learn
you better manners than that if this ever
reaches its destination I have nothing
very interesting or important to write
as is aways the case you know but
How be ever I will tell all I know. In
the first place I have the itch, that
keeps me lively there is several of the boys
down with the same complaint it is a
good thing for us that it is not a
dangerous diseas or we would all be
before now they have no itch
medicine at all what do you think will
become of us – Let that suffice for the
[page 2]
We live very well now only while
marching then we get [?] our Regament
was ordered of yesterday to the neuse road
for some purpose I dont know what
but col cantwell only let the right wing
go some of the boys say they are gone to
Greenvill but it is doubtful where
they are the Regament made a big march
this week it was ordered to drive the yankee
pickets into newbern which they did
tuesday evening the boys report that there
three of four Hundred yankee cavalry out on
picket at Rock Run five miles above
newbern our men began to drive them
when the sun was an hour high and by
dark they had them all over Rock Run
swamp none of our men were hurt in
that skirmish by yankee bullet but one
of the eighth Regament was shot by
accident he was walking in front of
[page 3]
the Brigade and fell and his gun fired
the ball passed through the palm of his
hand fractured it badly, so badly
that the sergeon had to cut it off the boys
say they found several things the yankees
left such as axes augers buckets corn
oats chickens &c together with one
horse and sixty dollars in specie
Maj nethercut took one Battalion and
went to rout the yankees from their
post on the rail road he lost one man
in the attempt and retreated without
effecting a rout the yankees shelled him
at such a rate He could not stand
them, the Regament got back to camp
friday evening. Let that do for the
Big Battle at Rock Run we hear that
our Regament is going to wilmington
but it is doubtful but General evans
came to Kinston this week with his
[page 4]
and that makes us believe more and
more we will go Kate I am slam
out what do you do in such cases stop
or not, I am in hopes as you girls were
so smart last summer and kept the
grass from being hay that if this ugly
war will ever stop we will not have so
much unnecessary work cutting grass in the
heat of the day as it would not die for us
any other time I believe everything is for
the best at last this war will make a
powerful sight of inventions it will be
winter soon and I know all my friends
will be very lonely as winter a lonely season
But do the best you can try and keep
warm and be good to my little
confederate girls You must excuses
this uninteresting letter and all its
misfortunes I will close by subscribing
myself your Friend R. F. Little
write soon soon to your friend
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