Forsyth County Historical Association
Forsyth County, North Carolina
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The Peoples Press published in Salem (Winston-Salem) on Friday, April 26, 1861, carried the
following editorial comment:
With our friend of the Hillsborough Recorder we have not changed our opinion as to the impolicy of
secession as a measure of redress or a security to our peculiar institution, nor of the value of the Union
as the source of the unexampled prosperity of the whole country. But all our fondest hopes for an
amicable adjustment of our sectional difficulties have been blasted.
Three weeks later, in the Friday, May 17 issue, the editor states that “Two Volunteer companies formed
in this county are now quartered among citizens of Winston and Salem. They are drilled regularly and
will soon be thoroughly equipped for the camp when they will offer their services to the Governor.” On
June 21 The Peoples Press records that “On Monday morning last the First and Second companies of
Forsyth Volunteers-- the ‘Riflemen’ and the ‘Grays,’ took their departure from this place for Danville,
Virginia.”
One of the volunteers from Salem was Henry W. Barrow whose letters, written from various camps in
1861, 1864 and 1865 and preserved among the papers of John W. Fries, give intimate glimpses of
personal experiences during the war. Henry Barrow, son of Moses and Sarah Barrow, was born January
28, 1828, on a farm near Salem. He attended Trinity College for one year, and then came to Salem
where for thirty-seven years he was employed by the firm of F. and H. Fries. He became a member of
the Moravian Church in 1856, and until the beginning of the War, lived with the family of Francis Fries,
senior partner of the firm. In 1861 he enlisted in the Twenty-first Regiment of NC Volunteers, serving as
corporal, and was later promoted to regimental quartermaster sergeant. He was one of five brothers,
all of whom served in the army and several of whom were severely wounded.
John W. Fries, son of Francis Fries, to whom the letters were written, was, during the Civil War, detailed
for service in the mills of F. and H. Fries, which were making cloth for Confederate Uniforms. He was
only fifteen years of age when the war began, but two years later upon the death of his father in 1863,
he shared the full responsibility of the mills with his uncle, Henry Fries, and eventually became head of
the firm. Supplies were frequently sent by wagons from the mills to the men in camp.
After the surrender Barrow returned to Salem and resumed his work at the F. and H. Fries mills. In June
1874, he married Mrs. Nannie Webster Cardwell, sister of Colonel I.R. Webster of Reidsville. They had
one daughter. He continued to live in Salem until his death on April 5, 1905. These letters were written
in the language and spelling of the time.
Camp Hill Danville Va July 4 1861
Mr. John W. Fries
Dear friend
Yours of 30th came to hand in due time which was gratifying to me to hear from you all again. I am
somewhat low spirited, we have this morning received a Telegrapick Dispatch that we have to leave
here for Richmond as soon as we can get ready. I cant say how soon that will be, but I prosume it will be
in a few days; I promise you will hear from the Election of officers over this regiment The election took
place on yesterday and resulted in electing a man from Raleigh N.C. by the name of W.W. Kirkland he is
a young man I am told a competant man for Colonel, and James M. Leach for Leiutenant Colonel and a
man from Hillsboro N.C. for Major.
I have nothing to write you that will be interesting Our company are all tolerable well with the exception
of a man in our company by the name of Jack Smith and Albert Alspaugh they have both been in the
Hospitle for several days I am told they are on the mend. I am looking for your father’s Wagon tonight
or tomorrow. Mr. Lewis Belo Wm. Hauser and Charles Belo are here and tell me that the Wagon started
one day sooner then they had expected. I would like very much to come to see you all once more
before I have to leave here. I have been building upon some slender hopes that we would stay here a
few weeks and I would be able to leave here long enough to come to see you all again but all hopes are
blasted at present.
I cant learn where we are to go from Richmond I fear we wont find as pleasant a place as we have had
here. I have fell very much in love with this place and especially with some of the good folks here in
Town they are very clever to us. I want you to show this to your Father I have been preparing and fixing
up tricks for the office of Commissary and have got up m y recommendation and this morning
Telegraphed to Col. Kirkland at Raleigh some of my friends say I will stand a tolerable good chance but I
dont think there is any chance for the reason Leach has gone to Raleigh and he will do all he can
against me and he had Ham. Sheppard here already to fill the place before the election I will write to
you again soon how I came out but I feel like I can tell you now I wont get any appointment with
certainty. This will look very bad to give the appointment to a man living in another State but such
things go by favors you know. I would like to hear from you soon I will write you when I arrive at
Richmond....I must close for it is late and my light is very bad I am lying in my tent writy by a bad light you
can gane some Idea how it goes Remember me to al the Family and all enquiring friends. You will say
to your Sisters that some of the Ladies of Danville say we have decidedly the best looking Flag in
camp. I think so myself. I was showing the Flag to some Ladies yesterday they said I ought to be proud
that we have at home Ladies in our Town that can do such nice work as is on those Flags I told them
that was most certainly so
Respectfully
H.W. Barrow
You will Please say to your Father that I received his letter with such a very good recommendation for
which I feel myself under many obligations to him and hope I can always conduct myself in such a
manner as to keep that noble high minded confidence I would like to say more on this subject if I could.
You will please excuse bad writing and spelling for I know I have made many mistakes.
Yours truly
H.W. Barrow
CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF HENRY W. BARROW
TO JOHN W. FRIES
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