Letters from Dr. Charles Silas Morton During Civil War Period


                                                                 Williamsburg,
                                                                 Nov. 29, 1861
Dear Mother,

    I wrote a letter to Pa the other day, and without thinking, put your name on the
back of it, which I hope you have rec'd. before this.  I received a day or two since
yours giving an account of the murder of Joel Coleman's  woman Kitty.  I was very
sorry to hear of Joel's loss but I expect that whisky had something had something to
do with it.

    We have had most delightful weather here this month.  It is warm and sultry here
this morning.  I have had no chill now for a week, and hope that I shall at last be
rid of them.  I feel nearly as well as ever.

    I wrote to Mr. Armistead to send me 2 gals. of whisky, and to continue my paper
for the next three months, and send the bill to Pa.  I have not used the check Pa
sent me.  The money I spent on the trip to Richmond has been refunded to me and will
answer my purposes at present.  I shall go down to Yorktown next Monday and endeavor
to draw my pay, which, if I succeed in doing will be more than I shall need, and I
shall send what I do not want home the best way I can arrange it.  It may be that I
cannot get it now however at present, as the Quartermasters are frequently out of
money.

    I am getting along in my occupation just as usual.  In fact, while I write
generally long letters, I am sometimes puzzled to know just what to put in them.
My life here is so much routine that a description of myself and surroundings in
one letter answers very well for all.  I think it probable that in a few weeks the
illness will diminish, and that I shall have more time for recreation.  I have
plenty of time now to read, and altho' I am frequently interrupted, have but little
to do in the afternoon until 5 o'clock, and from 7 to 10 at night.  I have learned
to play chess, and frequently amuse myself at night playing with the old Dr. who is
a very good hand.  There are six other Drs. in the house, besides Dr. W. and myself,
who are detailed from their companies to assist in the wards.  We bought a turkey
the other day, and all ate together - 8 doctors and an apothecary, the largest no.
of Doctors I ever saw at a table for dinner.  They are generally very fine, clever
young men, not the least dissipated and only one or two of them profane.  The old
Dr. is not much company, altho' very kind, for a young man like myself.  He and Mrs.
Semple do not get along very well together. Mrs. S. is a very intelligent lady, but
too much of an old maid, or rather, a disciplinarian in her notions.  She has always
been very kind, however, to me, altho' she frequently puts me in an awkward position
by asking me to get things done which Dr. W. never fails to refuse if he in any way
knows that she is connected with them.

    There is nothing new in the military line except a report that a number of
Yankees have landed in Mathews County, across York River.  I do not know whether
this report is true or not.  My love to all, and my remembrances to the neighbors,
and servants.  I will try to get some acorns off to Pa, and for you, tho' I doubt
whether the tree will grow where we live.  It is large and low-spreading, and not
very pretty.  The acorns are good to eat.

                                                          Yr. Affson,
                                                          C. S. Morton

                                                  Gainesville Va. Sept. 2nd, 1862
Dear Mother,  

    Today a week ago we left Hanover Junction on our march for this place which
we reached last night.  It is about 10 miles from Centreville and 8 from Manassas -
Northwest, I suppose, of the latter place.  We had a very fatiguing march, coming
by Orange Court House, Culpepper, and Warrenton.  I have had no opportunity to
write, except to drop a line at Orange C.H. which I hope you have received.  The
battleground is about 4 miles beyond.  There is any number of rumors about.  I sup-
pose from what we can hear that we will probably go toward Centreville this evening.
Not having been in the fight, I can give no particulars.  Our troops are in the best
spirits on account of our success.  The newspapers can give you a more correct ac-
count of the battle than I can.

    My health is, I believe, entirely restored.  You must not be uneasy at my not
writing, as it is very difficult to write and send letters during the march.  Remem-
brances as usual.

                                                          Yr. Affson,
                                                          C. S. Morton
P.S.  No letter since Aug 20th.
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                                                  Camp Near Hamilton
                                                  Feb. 11, 1863

Note at top of letter:  Remind Please to call at Mr. Armistead's store for some
clothing.

Dear Father,

    Your of the 7th. rec'd yesterday.  I am sorry to hear that sister Fanny has
another attack of pneumonia, but hope she is better by this time.  I wrote a note
by Dr. Binion (?) who was going home on Furlough, for you to send me a box to Rich-
mond, care of Harvey which it seems you did not receive.  I also wrote another by
 Col. Godwin, who was going to Richmond, but as I have not rec'd the telegraph mes-
sage, as directed, I suppose you have not had time to comply with the request.  I
therefore have concluded to send Pleas all the way, being very much strengthened in
that view by the fact that I have had nothing to eat for several days but rancid
bacon and bread.  I want butter, a small ham or sausage if you have it, and any
other little thing that he can bring conveniently in the basket.  You can also send
a box containing some 6 or 8 lbs. lard, peas, tomatoes, and 1/4 bushel meal, or some
parched wheat (to make coffee of) by express the night before Pleas start, say Sat.
night.  If the box is put on the express the same night he starts he will not be
able probably to get it to the Fred. depot by 11 o'clock, after which time they
refuse to send freight.  The express will not assume any responsibility farther
than Richmond.  Direct the box to Dr. C. S. Morton, Surgery, 57th. N.C. Regiment,
Hamilton's Crossing, Care Harvey ---, so that when Pleas gets to Rich'd he will
find it all at Mr. Armistead's store.  You had better send a rather small box, as I
am not certain about Pleas on first trial.  I want him to start back on Sunday
night.  Do not put my camp stool in the box, as I want it to be as light as pos-
sible.  I am sorry to send home while sister is sick for articles which will require
any of your's or Ma's attention, but I imagine I shall have but little opportunity
of sending after a week or two. The box will go to Richmond just as well without
Pleas as with him if it is put on the express.

                                                          Yr aff son,
                                                          C. S. Morton

                                                  Camp 10th Ga. Reg.
                                                  Feb. 27, 1862
Dear Mother

    Yours of the 23rd is just received.  I also received a letter from Dick Gilliam
by the last mail which I will try to answer tonight.  When I last wrote we expected
to go down in the neighborhood of Newport News to cooperate with the Merrimac in an
attack on that place, but for some reason or other the plan has fallen thru.  I am
very well satisfied for the present with my new home.  I have had two chills but
they were slight ones and I am now feeling quite well.  I have no idea how long I
shall remain with the Reg.  If it goes into active service I shall probably remain
with it at least during the summer, as I should thereby have the advantages of prac-
tical surgery to a far greater extent than I could have in a hospital.  The men in
the Reg. are generally ignorant and rough and the officers are not all that they
should be, but I get along very well with them.  We find it quite difficult to get
things to eat.  Eggs at 25 cts per doz and butter at 75 cts per pound.  I want you
to be getting ready to send me a box.  Pa can very likely buy some eggs & butter
(most probably the former) at Pamplin.  I would like to have my old trunk lock fixed
so that you could send it to me.  The strap of my new one is broken & the old one
would suit much better in camp.

    The news from Tenn. is anything but encouraging, but we must bear it as best we
can & hope for better times.  My love to all.  Remember me to the neighbors &
servants.

                                                          Yr aff son,
                                                          C. S. Morton

                                                  Camp Mt. Sidney
                                                  12 miles North of Staunton
                                                  Oct. 4, 1864
Dear Mother,

    I was very much pleased at receiving my socks and a letter from you by Ned
Gilliam  at Waynesboro.  The socks came in at a very acceptable time as I had not a
pair in the world and was wearing a pair borrowed from a friend.  I was also much
pleased to meet with Ned and to hear the news from the neighborhood.  The next day
we came to this place and have remained here several days.

    We are about four miles from Frank Bowman's.  I have been to see him twice.
He has a very pretty situation and a very interesting family, consisting of his
wife and two young children, a boy and a girl.  The Yankees have not treated him as
basely as they did some of his neighbors lower down the valley.  He preached a very
good sermon to some soldiers Sunday evening, which I had the pleasure of hearing.
The neighborhood we are in is not so pleasant as that around Winchester.  Probably
because were are so much crowded together.  The Yankees are said to be back beyond
Harrisonburg.  We hear a great many reports about Richmond, mostly of an unpleasant
character.  We get no news papers at present and do not know what to believe, but
hope always for the present and do not know what to believe, but hope always for
the best.  Our own Army is in a much better condition than it was when I last wrote.
We have been reinforced by Kershaw's division and are, I believe, a match for the
enemy's infantry, but fear our cavalry is overmatched.  We hear everywhere from
escaped prisoners and from citizens that the Yankees admit that their infantry was
defeated at Winchester and that their cavalry won the day.  I saw this morning a
man who had escaped from them a day or two after the fight at Winchester.  He says
the number of prisoners they captured there was 1300, which I think is very likely
correct.  We captured about 400 that morning.  Your letters have come very irreg-
ularly of late.  I hope mine reach you, as I hear no complaints.  I wrote you that I
want my old coat that I got in Baltimore turned.  Please have it done when conven-
ient.  I drew 2 1/2 yards of grey cloth today at $12.00 per yard of about the same
material as the jacket I wore last winter, which I intend to send to Mr. Hoges and
wish you to get home so that I may have it made up when I come.  I want a sack coat
made of it.  They are very much worn in the Army now and suit for coarse cloth
better than any other style.   This will supply me very well with clothing except
boots and shoes and under clothing for another year.  I must also ask that you send
me an envelope (you make a very light one out of the old circulars) in your letter.
They are difficult to buy and dear in the Army.  Tell Pa that I can send $50.00 to
Richmond if he has any use for it.  If not I will let it remain until I come home
and bring whatever is due at that time.  I speak of coming home but I fear that the
time is not so near.  I see no probability of it until next winter.  Time passes
quite dull except when we are moving about, then it is lively enough.  The Yankees
in retreating burned all the barns and wheat and mills beyond this point.  They have
left the people in a very destitute condition.  Their excuse to the people was that
it was Grant's positive orders which is no doubt true.  My love to all and remem-
brances as usual.  Tell sister Fanny that I will answer her few lines some of these
days with a long letter.

                                                          Your aff. Son
                                                          C. S. Morton

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