1863 Plantation Letter

This letter was written by James Steele (1802-1876), the son of William Steele (1763-18210 and Esther Love (1770-1850) of Anderson county, South Carolina. James married his second wife, Sarah (“Sallie”) Calhoun Davis, in October 1844 in DeKalb, Georgia.

James had at least ten children by his first wife, Elizabeth Ann Bruce (1806-1843). Several of their sons fought for the Confederacy—Capt. Robert Edward Steele (1835-1919) of Co. F, 22nd South Carolina Infantry, Lt. William Love Steele (1840-1923) of Co. B, 1st Palmetto Sharpshooters, and another son named Corp. (later Sergeant) Charles S. Steele (1843-1923) who served with William in the Sharpshooters.

Transcription

Happy Home, Cherokee county, Georgia March 12th 1863

My Dear Cousin,

Your very interesting letter of the 18 February did not come to hand until last evening. I feel much gratitude that you are so punctual a correspondent and if my poor efforts can retain you, I will be much pleased. Glad to hear from your brothers. Your family are showing themselves very patriotic. I am sorry to know that one of our relatives is trying to keep out of the war but &c. &c. thinks he must stay at home to take care of the old folks and little Negroes.

My son Charles was at home lately. Staid 3 weeks and left again for his regiment on the 7th of this month. He is looking well. He is six feet two and three-fourth inches high and his weight is one hundred and seventy pounds. I have lately heard from all my sons. They are all well and by their good conduct, have all risen to be officers with the exception of Charles. He holds the post of corporal which relieves him of some duties.

Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see you and judge if you are a merry lass. Do you as the old song says, It’s ten times a day I go to my glass and say to myself, I am a bonny young lass.” You know the song—it is sung to the tune of Jessee of Dunblane. I admire your taste in reading of the Poems of Ossian. It has been a great many years since I read them but there is still some sentences in them fresh to my memory which abounds wit comparisons of a delicate kind, and are singularly happy, such as the following. “Delightful is thy presence, O Fingal! It is the sun on Cromla; when the hunter mourns his absence for a season, and sees him between the clouds.” Did not Ossian hear a voice or is it the sound of days that are no more. Often like the evening sun comes the memory of former time on my soul. Sorrow like a cloud on the sun, shades the soul of Classammer. If I could hear you play on piano, I could add with truth another sentence. “Thy music like the memory of joys that are part pleasant and mournful to the soul.”

You say Prospective is man’s nature quite likely and may it not be woman’s also. I would not object to living a century longer if I could be ground over and be renewed. Indeed, I sometimes wish to live always to see what the final end of this world will be. There is no telling what a man may do in his dotage but in my present mind there is no danger of my again committing matrimony [even] if I do hunt birds with a nice young widow. I heard a story at one time—it run thus: A man died and went to the Gate of Paradise for admittance. His claim was that he had been married and tormented below. He was admitted. A tailor died and his claim was he had been married twice. He was sent to punishment for being such a fool. Now if I was to marry the third time, where would I go do you suppose? But thanks to kind Providence, my Sallie is well and may outlive me. You think man an enigma—the very thing I have always thought woman and have been trying to solve them but never could. I have at times thought I had, but by some of their double dealings, been thrown in the shade again.

When you write to your brother James and William, give them my best respects. I would write to James R. if I knew where to direct my letter. Please, in your next, let me know. I am sorry to think I may never visit you again. Roads are bad. If I was as I once were, I would scale the ruggedest mountains to see you but all I can now do is to persuade my sons if this cruel war leaves them alive, to represent me. The great kindness that was shown to me by all the family will be meted out to my sons I have no doubt if they ever visit you.

You did not say a word about Cousin Thad or his mother. I know Thad will court the last daughter John Love has if she will allow him. With what success, time will show/ I live between two rivers about three hundred yards to each one. They are at this time very full. I am selling much corn at two dollars and fifty cents, as many as seven wagons here a day.

My love to your parents. I shall look for that long letter with much anxiety. Truly your affectionate relative, — J. Steele

Transcription and description courtesy of William J. Griffing of "Spared and Shared."

[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Slavery, Slave, Abolition, Black Americana, African-American]