Civil War Letter Written by
Charles E. Transou
26th Regiment Musician
|
Contributed by Lee Sherrill
Perkins Library, Duke
CSA Archives
CSA Miscellaneous
Box 2, 1865-1872
Petersburg VA
Thursday Feb 16, 1865 {?}
Dear Sister
Yesterday brought safely to hand your precious letter of Feb. 6th enclosed first is a paper envelope
then in a strong wooden case & packed ________, I suppose to protect from bruising with various articles
such as cloth hats, dried fruit, chicken light bread biscuit pies apples ginger cheese xc xc . The postage on it
from Petersburg to the 33rd was 7 dollars which I willingly paid From here with the help of my friends Billy
Lemly & Abraham Gibson. I carried it to camp a distance of one mile through the rain & mud all the way half
knee deep. After reaching camp building a fire & changing my cloths, I proceeded by the aid of hatchets pine
knots xc to break the seal & read the contents. I must say that this & a letter I got from you once before
encased in wooden box are 2 of the most interesting letters I have ever received. Being in the army has
learned me economy therefore I did not as many would have done throw out of doors the packing material.
For instance - I am in need of a hat and examination I found the cloth one fitted me first rate is shaped hat &
just the thing I wanted. I therefore appropriated it. I have somewhere heard that dried fruit stew is very good to
eat so I have packed it away intending one of these days to make the experiment Chicken biscuit & light bread
are said to be good substitutes for cornbread & hog meat in case the latter are scarce. I think from the very
limited trial I gave them last night & this morning they answer the purpose tolerably well. Sourghum {?} butter
honey & cheese are good to take the taste out of ones mouth left by the bread. Sausage hog-tongue pies
apples gungess xc I have not found use for yet but if it is true that nothing is created without a use I should not
think mama created them for nothing but packing letters. I shall keep them: no doubt I will find some use for
them. Let me suggest that when you send such long letters you put hand ____ as to be more easily carried. I
would attempt to tell you how grateful I am to those concerned in waiting packing & mailing but words cannot
express my gratitude. May the lovely angel of piece hover over their heads & may the brother & son who is
now out here in at Petersburg in a hole soon brighten their presence with the light of his countenance & whose
countenance don’t shine these days because of the unhappy picture around him it reveals.
Now to the written contents of the letter ---No doubt you had nice company the other Saturday night but of
your mother & the rest of the homefolks much better. My suit of grey I want to stay at home I wish it was not
cut or made it will only get too small for me before I can wear it We thought we would need them when we got
our furlough. I am not in much great hope of peace it looks as if the war could not last longer than this
Summer but such impossibilities take place that there is no telling.
I would have given any thing in the world to hear Virgil Wilson & the Doubs If I could only be at home on the
2nd Sunday in March. Is it so that he told ___ his wife would to immerse him.
Tell another I am well now & don’t need here blue-moss. When I get sick again I will get or else get you to
send me one of those big letters: ____ ____ best of ___ ___ ____ I see I am wrong its he that wants ____
medicine & not I. Well I'll send it.
I wish you could see Billy {Lemly} & I in our hole. We 2 are all that stay in it. We live together finely away from
some of the fools & dogs that are in the crowd. He will set a box tonight by Warren's agent & ___ last of the
week another by Chitty {Reuben Chitty} We have a cubbard against the wall & ___ ____ we set before the
fire to bake johnycaskes xc xc & soon I believe I am done. Write as soon as you get this.
Your brother Charles E.
Sam Mickey say tell___ he thinks he can sell his instrument for about $210.00 & ants to know whether he shall
buy and to with the money as Hall is likely to be exchanged. I forgot to say in his letter that the extensions
have not come up. CET
Biographical Information
Charles E. Transou resided in Forsyth County and enlisted at Orange Court House, Virginia, November 18
1863 for the war. Mustered in a Musician. Present or accounted for until captured at Amelia Court House,
Virginia. April 4, 1865. Confined at Point Lookout, Maryland, until released on June 20, 1865, after taking the
Oath of Allegiance.
William A. Lemly resided in Forsyth Counted and enlisted at Orange Court House, Virginia, at age 17, May 3,
1864, for the war. Mustered in as Musician. Present or accounted for until captured at Amelia Court House,
Virginia, April 4, 1865, Confined at Point Lookout, Maryland, until released on June 14, 1865, after taking the
Oath of Allegiance. Lemly (c. 1846-1928) was born in Bethania to Henry A. and Amanda Conrad Lemly.
Samuel Timothy Mickey, Chief Musician. Enlisted at Camp French at age 23, November 1, 1862, for the war.
Present or accounted for until captured at Amelia Court House, Virginia, April 4, 1865, Confined at Point
Lookout, Maryland, until released on June 29, 1865, after taking the Oath of Allegiance.