(reloaded to FTM on 2/18/02) The Edwards collection of Confederate letters consists of thirty- seven items arranged in chronological order and consisting of the following categories: One business note to William W. Batts, two letters to the aforesaid Batts, two brief business notes from T.W. Pender, one letter to James Baker, two letters to John B. Woodard, twenty-eight letters to his wife Mary Woodard Edwards, and the Military Telegram announcing his death. William Henry Edwards (1839-June 14, 1864) was the only son of Edwin Edwards and wife (married on January 16, 1838), Zilphia Batts (1818-1840) although he had one younger half sister, Martha Ann Edwards, (named in letter 10) who married R.D. Winstead of Nash County, on February 25, 1858, he married Mary Jane “Mollie” Woodard (March 29, 1837-April 28, 1905), daughter of James Bullock Woodard and wife Sarah Howell Peele of Wilson County. On December 24, 1865, his widow married as her second husband William Howell Thomas (April 28, 1818-April 3, 1898), son of Hilliard Thomas and wife Zilpha Woodard, who served as a private in Company A, 8th North Carolina Senior Reserve Regiment C.S.A. (The eldest child of the last marriage was the late George Washington Thomas, maternal grandmother of the present writer - ). Edwin Edwards was a considerable planter and was also, at the time of his death in late March 1848, a partner in the firm of Leigh & Edwards, liquor merchants, at the now-vanished Joyner’s Depot one mile north of Elm City where U.S. 301 overpasses the Railroad. On April 10, 1841, he married 2nd Elizabeth Batts (November 1823-April 1879), half sister to his first wife In 1843 he bought the Wright W. Joyner Homeplace with 390 acres of land, and it was there that his widow continued to live after her marriage by November 1848, to William Dew “Billy” Farmer (October 1824-April 1895), son of Arthur Dew Farmer and Pamela Eason. The Wilson County Census of 1860 estimated their real and personal property at $14, 740.00. William H. Edwards grew up under comfortable circumstances in an old two story home (that was still standing in 1977) and received a fair education for those days. It is probably that he had some storekeeping experience while living a stone’s throw from Joyner’s Depot where his father served as Post Master from April 1, 1847, until his death in the following March. (His step-father William D. Farmer also served as Post Master from September 23, 1856, to November 3, 1865.) After his marriage and settlement in Gardner’s Township, he purchased two small tracts (the deeds from Thomas J. Gardner and James Ellis were never recorded) on which he both farmed and operated a small neighborhood store beside the Wilson-Tarboro road. On September 5, 1856, William H. Edwards sold William D. Farmer for $1,000 half the land belonging to himself and sister Martha A. Winstead “as fell to us by the death of our Father Edwin Edwards” adjoining David Sharp, Benjamin Thornell, Eliza Winstead, and others, “known as the land as Edwin Edwards bought at Wright Joyner’s sale”; witnessed by W.W. Batts. (Since Martha Ann Edwards was born in 1844 and did not marry George R.D. Winstead until July 26, 1859, one begins to understand the family gossip in later years concerning the questionable handling of the Edwin Winstead estate.) On August 11, 1860, he sold to Isaac Page for $1,000 a tract of 185 acres north of Martin Thorn’s Mill Swamp adjoining W.W. Batts, Isaac Moore, Gill, Benjamin W. Sharpe, and Eason Sharp; witnessed by T.H. Skinner. On July 24, 1861, W. H. Edwards sold Willie W. Flowers for $700 a tract of 141 acres north of Dye Flowers Swamp adjoining Elijah Winstead, John Wells, the old Joseph Lee line, and Josiah Vick; witnessed by W.W. Batts and William D. Farmer. On October 24, 1864, David W. Barnes had been appointed administrator of his estate; and at a public auction on December 13, 1866, he sold two tracts to W.W. Batts for a bid of $475; 36 acres adjoining Patsy Sharpe, Eli Robbins, and J.J. Taylor (the Thomas Gardner tract), and 83 acres adjoining Martin Thorn, Eli Robbins, and Willie Robbins (the James Ellis tract); witnessed by G.W. Blount. On August 10, 1865, Commissioners T.H. Skinner, H.F. Barnes, David W. Barnes and John Proctor, Sr., allotted to Mary J. Edwards lot No. 3 of the Gray W. Woodard tract, consisting of 35 ½ acres worth $213.50 and adjoining John B. Woodard and Colonel Robert Bynum. On June 13, 1866, Commissioners W.W. Batts, J.P., John (x) Proctor, Jesse (x) Pittman, and Benjamin (x) Edwards laid off the dower of Mary J. Thomas, widow of W.H. Edwards of Wilson County: $113 in money, a bed and its furnishings, and a cotton-wheel and the cards. On June 10, 1861, William Henry Edwards enlisted as a private in Company E, 19th (2nd Cavalry) North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A., but was discharged at New Bern on March 11, 1862, because of a hernia. On December 18, 1862, he re- enlisted as a private in Company H, 59th (4th Cavalry) North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. He was promoted to Sergeant by April of 1863 and continued in active service until being decapitated by a cannon ball during a fight near Petersburg on June 14, 1864, according to a report issued on the following day. Arthur Barnes (April 24, 1837-December 16, 1899), mentioned in letters 4, 7, and 30, was a son of Edwin Barnes and wife Theresa Simms of Wilson County. On November 25, 1863, he became Captain of Company H, 59th (4th Cavalry) North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. By May 26, 1864, his health had become so impaired that he offered his resignation, which was accepted on June 8, after which he returned home and served again as Wilson County Solicitor. Malachi M. Williams in letters 28 and 30 was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of Company H, on October 13, 1862, and 1st Lieutenant on June 8, 1864. He received his parole at Goldsboro on May 10, 1865, after having been absent from his company for some time “by authority of General Lee.” James “Jim” Baker (born in 1826) in letters 8, 9, and 19 was a private in Company H beginning on December 17, 1862. He was paroled at Goldsboro on May 15, 1865. On January 21, 1846 he had married Tempy Ellis (born in 1826). John Q.A. Thigpen of letter 12 enlisted in Company H on December 18, 1862, and was captured on June 19 of the following year at Middleburg, Virginia. After a brief confinement at Old Capitol Prison, he was exchanged at City Point on June 30 and returned to his Company for the rest of the war. Emily Batts Joyner in letter 27 was an older sister of the mother of William Henry Edwards. On May 23, 1836, she married Wrights son William Joyner (1789-1856) of Nash County. They had eight sons and one daughter, so we can only conjecture that “her son” in the letter was William B. Joyner who served in Company C, 43rd North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. Willie Jordan Batts (February 28, 1819-October 29, 1902) in letters 26 and 27 was a first-cousin to Henry’s mother. He was the most notable botanic physician known to have practiced in Wilson County and was also a Justice of the Peace, Clerk of Upper Town Creek Primitive Baptist Church, and a member of the Wilson County Home Guard during the Civil War. His sons David Lawrence, William Calvin and John Louis Dickens Wilson Batts all three served in the Confederate States Army. Jesse Farmer (July 26, 1821-August 18, 1876) in letter 4 had married on October 15, 1843, Henry’s aunt Mary “Polly” Batts (February 23, 1825-July 1, 1894). Their oldest child was the John William Farmer (August 19, 1844-October 25, 1880) mentioned in the same letter. On December 18, 1862, John Farmer had enlisted with Henry in Company H and, excepting his hospitalization at Richmond on December 10, 1864, continued in service until the end of the war. Jesse Farmer had enlisted at Goldsboro on July 20, 1863, in Captain William R. Bass’s Company of Wayne County Partisan Rangers, which about a year later was designated Company C, 68th North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. The Walter Farmer (September 8, 1944-October 11, 1863) in letter 13 was a son of Moses Farmer and wife Elizabeth Dew. He enlisted in Company H on December 18, 1862, and became a Sergeant by April of 1863. He was captured at Middleburg on June 19, 1863, confined at the Old Capitol Prison until exchanged at City Point on June 30, and was killed in action at Brandy Station on October 11, 1863. The “Children” mentioned Henry Edwards in letters 4, 6, 10, and 15 were James Edwin (November 3, 1858-1882) and Zilphia Britannia Ann “Mit” Edwards (November 19, 1861-October 16, 1882) On February 16, 1881, she married David Wilson Woodard (December 20, 1856-May 1, 1936), son of Gray Wilson Woodard and wife Mary Ann Barnes, by whom she left one child, Sanford Edwin Woodard (December 13, 1881-January 10, 1949) of Suffolk, Virginia. Gray Wilson Woodard (December 24, 1827-July 1, 1863) in letters 7 and 15 was Henry’s brother-in-law. On September 7, 1854, he married Mary Ann “Mary Gray” Barnes (September 8, 1837- January 21, 1929), daughter of James Stephen Barnes and wife Obedience Johnson, by whom he had five children to survive him. (She was mentioned in letters 8 and 15.) On April 29, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company A, 55th North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. On July 1, 1863, he was shot dead near the Emmitsburg Pike, about 200 yards after crossing Willoughby Run, and facing the railroad cut in the direction of Gettysburg. Elizabeth Ann Woodard (December 27, 1823-July 12, 1896) was a half-sister to Henry’s wife Mary Jane Woodard. On January 8, 1846, she married Thomas “Tom” Stancil (1819-1891) named in letter 16. They resided in Gardner’s Township of Wilson County and were listed with six children and property valued at $2,400 at the time of the Census of 1870. Their oldest child was the Nancy (December 24, 1846-November 16, 1901) mentioned in the same letter, who was married several years after the war to Emerson Henry Pender by whom she had a number of children. George Washington Woodard (March 29, 1937-March 23, 1864), twin to Henry’s wife, was mentioned in letters 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 20, and 30, on April 29, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company A, 55th North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. He was small and delicate, little fitted for the hardships of military life, and was attacked by chronic diarrhoea. He was treated unsuccessfully in the General Receiving Hospital at Gordonsville, Virginia, and was buried at that place on the day of his death. John Bunyan Woodard (October 7, 1832-October 27, 1866), another brother-in-law, was mentioned in letters 7, 8, 10 and through 12, and 15, through 25. He and Henry became very warm friends and had planned to go into business together after the war. “Bun” was a very sociable fellow and something of a ladies’ man but never married. On June 28, 1861, at New Bern, he became a private in Company F, 4th North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. Excepting a furlough or two, he served actively until being captured on October 19, 1864, at Strasburg, Virginia, after which he was imprisoned at Point Lookout Military Prison in Maryland, remaining there until taking the Oath of Allegiance on May 14, 1865, although his name was included on the parole list of his Company at Appomattox Court House on April 9. He lived quietly on his farm for about a year and a half before succumbing to a general debilitation resulting from the hardships experienced during the war. William Woodard “Bill” Batts (September 18, 1827-August 20, 1869), son of William m Batts and wife Martha Woodard, was both Henry’s uncle and his brother-in-law, having married Margaret Peele Woodard (February 12, 1835-January 5, 1901) on December 6, 1853. On August 20, 1861, Colonel Batts received his commission in the 113th Regiment of North Carolina Militia. He was also very active in Wilson County throughout the Civil War in recruitment, commissary, and Home Guard duties. (He was named in letters 1, 4, 7, 14, 16, 19, 23, 24, 28, 31, and 37.) William Henry Edwards mentioned his stepfather William Dew Farmer only in letter 7; and only one step-brother (in letter 10), Woodard Eason Farmer (May 3, 1852-January 19, 1915) who became an agent of the Atlantic Coastline Railroad, married Frances Thornton Greenwood on December 19, 1870, and had eight children born in Wilson prior to their removal to Wilmington. Elias Summerlin (born in 1822) was a farm manager who lived near Saratoga. On September 27, 1842, he married Susan Edwards (born in 1821) by whom he had six children. She may have been related to William Henry Edwards, perhaps an aunt, since he referred warmly to Elias in letters 5, 8, 12, 16, 19, 24, and 35. The various geographic references, together with a number of scattered and less important personal identifications, will be presented in their proper sequence in the footnotes. Hugh Buckner Johnston Wilson, North Carolina November 20, 1977 (1) Mr. W.W. Batts Please send for your Negro and get mine and bring her to your house, if you please, and I will come to your house this Evening. Jany the 1 1860 W.H. Edwards William Woodard Batts wrote on the back of the above letter: “Permit Lewis to carry this to W.H. Edwards, W.W. Batts” Across the face of the letter he wrote: “Henry, I will do what this calls for. I will bring her as far as my house. W.W. Batts.” (2) Dec 18th, 1860 Mr. Wm. H Edwards Sir, you will please let Morris have 1 Gallon whiskey for the money. T.W. Pender (3) Mr. Wm. H. Edwards Sir, you will please send me 1 Gallon good whisky & charge to me & I will pay you soon. Jany 3rd 1861 (4) April the 23, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself to inform you that I am well at this time, hoping these few lines will go safely to hand and find you and children all enjoying the same good health. Mollie, I have not got but one letter from you yet and have sent you three before this, and I would like to hear from you and hear how you are getting along. Mollie, I am at the same place. I am getting along as well as I could expect, only we haven’t got any money yet, but I hope that we shall get some before long, for I begin to need some myself. Mollie, I heard said that Bill Batts has sold his land, and I want to know if it is so, and who he sold it to, and what he got for it and what he is going to do now. You must tell Bill if he has sold his land he must come to see me. It is not so far but what he can come in a day on his buggy, but he need not come without he brings something to eat, for I haven’t got enough for myself to eat, let alone feeding of my folks when they come to see me. Tell Jesse Farmer to come with Bill to see John, for John is with me. He is well. We have all just got through eating of dinner. We had parched corn for our dinner, and we will have the same tomorrow for dinner. I can make out with what we got to eat, but it is a bad make-out. Mollie, I went fishing yesterday with my hook and never got a bite. I did not stay over five minutes, for I had to come back to my post. I have to stay there all the time. I am going to ask the old General for a furlough as soon as I get my money, for I don’t want to go home a poor man every time I go home, for I am out of money at this time. I have got one dollar and fifty cents. Mollie, when you write to me, direct the letter to Kinston, 59 Regiment, in the care of Capt. A. Barnes. Don’t back it to the 66, for we have left that Regiment and gone to the 59 Cavalry. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this time. Write soon and let me hear all the times. W.H. Edwards (5) Dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know how I am getting along. I am well at this time as far as health, but I am worn out a- traveling. I am in forty miles of Culpepper Court House. I have stopped to let my horse graze. At this time I am by myself, and have been all the time I have been past Richmond about fifty miles. My horse is about to give out. I am close to Louisa Court House at this time, and I thought I would write to you while I was stopped. Mollie, I hope these lines will go safely to you and find you and the children well, and all the rest of the family and family connections. Mollie, I would like to hear form you, but I keep going on so you can’t write to me. If you were to write, I would not get your letter. I will write to you as soon as I get stationed again. I wrote to you when I was at Petersburg, and when you write to me I want to know if you got that letter or not. Mollie, I was sorry to hear that Vicksburg had to fall, for I think it will make the war last longer than ever. Mollie, do the best you can. I hope the war will end sometime so we can live together again, although we are many miles apart now. To think where I am now, by the side of a small creek by myself. I am so lonesome. I am about two hundred and fifty miles from my Company now. I don’t know when I shall ever get to it. I don’t care much if I never do, so I can get a plenty to eat and a plenty of clothes to wear. I hope the Lord will be with me through the War, if it is His will. Tell all the black’uns that I would like to be there with them all and go a-fishing with them and take a drink of brandy with them again, but I hope the time will come when we will all be together again. Give all the neighbors my best respects. Mollie, I have got along this far as well as I could expect to. I go in a house to stay every night. We have had a sight of rain out here and some hail. Well, I must close, for I must be getting along, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards Tell Elias Summerlin howdy for me when you see him, and tell him if he goes to the War to come to my Company. I shall go to Gordonsville tomorrow, if nothing happens. Mollie, when you write to me, write all the news and what they have done with what’s there: You know what I mean. I must close, for it looks like it is going to rain here soon. To his loving wife forever. W.H. Edwards (6) Petersburg, VA. July the 11, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know where I am. I am with George at this time. George is not well. I am well myself, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and children well. Mollie, I don’t know how long I shall stay here. I expect to leave here today, but I don’t know where to go to, but I shall go to Richmond from here. Mollie, George wants you to tend to his things like I and you were talking. Carry on the business like it was yours and stay there. I will write to you again soon, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (7) Staunton, VA General Hospital July the 28, 1863 Mr. W. W. Batts Joyner’s Depot, NC Dear Uncle, I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to inform you where I am and how I am getting along. Bill, I am in the hospital at this time, but I am as well as I ever was in my life, all but the camp itch. When I went to hospital I had gravel, but I am well of that now. Bill, I haven’t been to my Regiment yet, but I think I will go in a few days. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and family all well, and family connections. Bill, there have come to this place about seven thousand wounded men on our side, and there have passed about forty-five hundred Yankee prisoners. Our wounded come in every day. I am about five hundred miles from home at this time. I saw in the papers that the Yankees had made a raid in Edgecombe and had done a great deal of damage. I wish that my Regiment could go back to North Carolina and stay there as long as the War lasts. Bill, I am faring well at this time. I get a plenty to eat and nothing to do, only to sit about and read newspapers, but I think I shall leave this place in a day or two, for I am getting tired of this place. There are so many sick and wounded that you may know it is not mighty pleasant to stay here. Bill, I haven’t heard from Gray or Bun since I have been out here, and if you have, I want you to write me how they are and whether they got wounded or not in that fight at Gettysburg. My horse had fits, and I had to sell him. I got thirty- one dollars for him. I thought I had better take that than to kill him. I don’t intend to buy nary another horse while I stay in service. Bill, I would give anything in this world if this war would end, so I could go and stay with my wife and little children. To think where I am and to think where they are, Bill, is enough to hurt any man’s feelings in this world, if he loves his wife and children as well as I love mine. Sometimes I think about it and it all but runs me crazy, but I throw it off the best I can. Bill, you may know it is a trying thing to leave one’s wife and not to know that he will never get the chance to see her anymore or not, but I hope the good Lord will be with me through the War and see me safely home again. This is Sunday. I am sitting on the head of my bed, my paper on the window at this time. I wish I was at your house, so I could get good apples to eat. I can’t get any such here. Bill, there are men in this hospital from all the States in the Southern Confederacy. Well, I must begin to come to a close by saying I remain yours as ever until death. Write as soon as you get this. Direct your letter to my Regiment in the care of Capt. A. Barnes, to the 59 Regiment, and back it to Richmond. Just back it as you have done before. Write all the news. Good-bye for this time. The cares have just come in, and it is almost time for supper. Give Billy Farmer’s family my best love, and tell all of them to write to me. W.H. Edwards Bill, general Pender died at this place, but I guess you have heard of it. I guess it hurt old man Jimmy Pender’s feelings to hear of it. (8) Cedar Run, VA August the 9, 1863 My dear Mollie, I take the pleasure of dropping you a few more lines, but it seems like that it is not worth while for me to write to you, for if you write to me I don’t get your letters. I have written several to you since I left home, and I can’t get any letter from you, and I want to hear from you worse than I ever did in my life. I haven’t written well, but I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the children all well and doing well. I want you to write to me, if you please, and write me all the news. I want to know if Bun has got home or not, and if he hasn’t, I guess you have heard from him, and I want to know how he is getting along. Mollie, I want to hear how they did about the things, if they have divided them or not, or what they have done about it. I haven’t got well of the itch yet, and I have got the worst bile I ever had in my life. We expect to march today towards Fredericksburg, and I dread to start, for it is a long march to march on foot. Mollie, I wish I was at home at this time, so I could get some watermelons and peaches to eat, but I don’t expect to get nary one to eat this year. The boys are going home on detail, James Baker and several others. I will go home every time I get a chance, but I don’t know when I shall ever get the chance of going. Well, Mollie, I must come to a close by saying to you that I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this time. Give Elias Summerlin my love, and all the neighbors. Give Mary Gray my best respects. I hope the Lord will help her in this world. W.H. Edwards (9) Camp near Stephensburg, VA August the 16, 1863 Mr. James Baker Sir: I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to let you know that we have moved at last. We move towards Stephensburg. We are all going to get on a regular spree today. You ought to be here to help us drink, but I guess you have got something to drink yourself, and I wish I was there with you and Daniel this morning so I could go to yearly meeting. Jim, this leaves me well at this time. I hope these few lines will reach your hand and find you and your family all enjoying the great blessing. Give my best love to Tempy and all the children, and to all the neighbors. I would be glad to be there to fly around with you today. Jim, you and Daniel must not be too bad while you and he are at home. You must write to me as soon as you get this. Write all the news of the neighborhood. I want to know how all the girls are getting along without any boys. I am sorry for them, as well as for myself, for I know they are all out of heart, but I hope there will be a time when the boys can all go back home and enjoy the pleasure of life as they have heretofore. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your friend until death, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (10) Camp near Stephensburg, VA August the 21, 1863 My dear Mollie, I received your kind letter a few minutes ago, and I was glad to hear from you, but was sorry to hear that you and the children were not well. This leaves me not well, but so I can be up about. I have had two chills, but I have missed today. I am in hopes that I shan’t have another chill. Mollie, I received a letter from Bun, and I wrote back to him as soon as I received his letter. I wrote him to buy the horse for me, and I would get the chance to go home again. I have lost all my clothes and saddle bags, all but what I have got on, and I am nearly barefooted, but I hope if nothing happens I shall get the chance to go home before Bun has to leave. I would like to be there with you all now. Tell Bun if he hasn’t got any brandy to get some, for it would not surprise me if I was at home in two weeks from today. I want you to save me some apples if you can. I would give one hundred dollars if I could be there at the sale. All the rest can be there but me. I wish this War would end. I wish the first one that started this War had died before he started it. The one that started it is not in it, nor ever will be in his life. Mollie, tell Bun and George to write to me often. I want to know if Bun got the letter I wrote to him, or not. You never said whether Martha Ann was getting along tolerably well, or not, but I heard of it before Woodard Farmer wrote to me about it. Mollie, I wish I was there with you today and could stay all the time. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your affectionate husband until death, so good-bye for this time. Write soon as you get this, if you get it soon, and tell Bun not to get married until I go home. W.H. Edwards (11) Mary J. Edwards Camp near Stephensburg, VA Sept. 6, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself once more to inform you that I received your kind letter, and I thought I would not write to you as soon as I got your letter, for I thought that I would have been at home with you, but I live in hopes to go before long. Mollie, this leaves me well at present, truly hoping these few lines will reach you and find you and the family all well. I am looking for my detail every day. You may look for me until you see me coming. I haven’t any time to write any more at this time. I will close for this time. I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye. W. H. Edwards Tell Bun to stay home until I go, he and George, both, for if I ever get home, I intend to stay as long as I please, for some of the boys that went home when I did got back today. They never said a word to them. W.H. Edwards (12) Gordonsville, VA (Early October 1863) Dear Mollie, I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and family all well. Mollie, if you haven’t killed the little bull, don’t kill him. Let him stay, for I want to eat some of him as long as you did not kill him while I was at home. I haven’t had any beef to eat since I have been out here. John Thigpen says if you could see me know since I have quit drinking that you would love me better than you ever did in your life. I would be glad to see you now. I could enjoy myself with you better than I did when I as with you drunk all the time. If Thad Sharpe writes to me, send it to me. Mollie, I intend to write to you often, and I want you to write to me often. I and George are together at this time. He was glad to get with me, and I was surprised to see him. Tell Bun that Capt. Thompson is at Richmond yet and will stay as long as this fight holds on, for he can’t go to his Company. And tell Bun to write to me. Direct your letter to Richmond as you always have before. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this time. Give Elias my best respects. W. H. Edwards (13) Gordonsville, VA October the 14, 1863 My dear Mollie, I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to let you know how I am. This leaves me well, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and family all well. I haven’t got to my Company yet, and I ain’t sorry for it, for they are fighting, but I shan’t go to the Company, not as long as they keep fighting. Mollie, Walter Farmer is killed. I was sorry to hear it. He was killed last Monday, but the Yankees are retreating. I don’t know how long I shall stay here, but I don’t think we shall long. Mollie, there is talk of going back to North Carolina. I hope we shall go. Well, I must close for this time. I remain your husband until death, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (14) Gordonsville, VA Oct. the 16, 1863 Mr. W. W. Batts Dear Sir: I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to let you know where I am. This leaves me well, hoping these few lines will reach you and find you and family with the same blessing. George is with me, and he is well. Also, I don’t know how long we shall stay at this place. Bill, I live in hopes of our Company going back to North Carolina again, and I don’t care how soon, but I guess we shall, for the papers are fixed just to send up. I will close for this time. I remain your friend as ever until death. I will write again as soon as I get to my Company, and you must write to me and don’t forget me, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (15) Gordonsville, VA Oct. the 16, 1863 Dear Mollie, This leaves me well at this time, hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the children all well. George is with me today. He stayed with me last night. I don’t know how long we shall stay here. George hasn’t got nary blanket, but I am going to let him have one of mine. I was glad that Bun got the chance to go back and stay with you longer. I hope he will stay with you a long time, if I can’t. Mollie, I am done drinking of brandy, for I see it won’t do for me, but I have told you so many times that you won’t believe me, but I am done for good. If I go back home, I will try to be a gentlemen. George is well. It has rained for the last three days, but I have got a tent to stay in. Well, I must close for this time. Mollie, George said he heard that Mary Ann got a letter from Gray, and he wants to know if it is so or not, and so do I want to hear if she did. W.H. Edwards Give Mary Ann my best respects and tell her to write to me. (16) Camp Culpepper Court House, Va. Nov, the 1st, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself to inform you that I am well, all but the itch. I hope these few lines will reach your hands and find you and the children all enjoying the best of health. Mollie, I haven’t any news of any importance to write to you. We all expect to leave this place tomorrow. We are going to Little Washington, Va., and my horse’s back is sore, and I shall have to walk all the way. I am faring as well as I could expect to. I am sober and expect to remain so as long as I live. I haven’t received nary a letter from you since I left you. I received one from Bun and one from Bill Batts. It is mighty cold here. Well, I must begin to come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death. W.H. Edwards Mollie, write to me as soon as you get this and write all the times. Give Tom’s family my best respects, and tell Nancy to write to me. Give Elias my best love. W.H. Edwards (17) Camp Culpepper Court House, Va Nov. the 4th, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself once more to inform you that I am well at present, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and you and the family are all enjoying the same good health. When I wrote you before, we had orders to move, but that order was countermanded. Mollie, here is a ring I made. I will send it to you. It is the first I ever made, and I could not make it as nice as I wanted to. I want you to keep it to remember me. You must write to me as often as you can. I haven’t any news of any importance to write to you at present. Tell Bun to write to me all the time, let him be where he will, for I want to hear from him, for he knows what I and he talked about. Mollie, you need not be uneasy about me. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death. Write as soon as you get this and let me know if you get this ring. W.H. Edwards To Mary J. Edwards. God bless your soul forever! (18) Camp Culpepper Court House, Va Nov. the 7th, 1863 Dear Mollie, I received your kind letter the 6 day of instant and was glad to hear from you for the first time since I left you. This leaves me well at present, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and all the rest of the family enjoying the best of health. I haven’t any news of interest to write to you at present. I want you to write to me as often as you can, for I want to hear from you three times a week anyhow, and I will do the same by you. I want you to write all about the times and how they get along housing the crop and how your fattening hogs are getting along. Mollie, I was sorry to hear that Bun was so bad off, but I was glad to hear that he was better. I hope he will get well again, with the help of the good Lord. We haven’t drawn our money yet, but we all have signed the payroll, and we shall get our money in a few days. I don’t expect they will let me go home when you want me to go, but I will go if I can. You said something about the horse. I have got him, but the negro that brought him out here for me hurt his back. I am having of him shod at this time. It is mighty cold and windy out here. I am faring as well as I could expect to fare at this place. I get plenty to eat. That is one good blessing, but I don’t know how long it will hold out this way. Well, I will come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this time. Write me as soon as you get this. W.H. Edwards I received a letter from Bun at the same time I received yours. Give Bun my best love and tell him to write to me and write often. To M.J. Edwards W.H. Edwards (19) Camp Orange Court House, Va. Nov. the 10th, 1863 Dear Mollie, I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines once more. This leaves me not right well at present. I have got the diarrhoea, but I am well all but that. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the children all well, and the rest of the family. I wrote to you on the 7, but I don’t know whether you will get it or not, for the Yankees came over before the letters were sent off. The fight took place on the seventh and is going on yet. Our men have fallen back from Culpepper to Rapidan, and there I guess our men will make a stand. I am out of it myself. I am at Orange Court House on Provost-guard. Mollie, you must look over my bad spelling and mistakes. You must write to me as often as you can, for I don’t know when I shall ever get the chance to see you any more, but I will go the first time I get the chance. My old horse isn’t any account, and I gave him to one of our Company. I had rather be without a horse than to have one this time of the year out here, for it is all that I can do to keep from freezing, let alone having of a horse to tend to in the cold. Mollie, we had a little snow yesterday and last night, and you may know it is pretty cold out here now. Well, I will begin to come to a close by saying that I remain your loving husband, and until death. I would give anything that I am worth to get out of this War, for I had as leave to be dead as to have to stay out here and suffer like I do, for I am cold from the time I get in Old Virginia until I get home in the bed. I had rather stay at home with you and work three nights in the week than to stay here, but I will do the best I can. I hope the Lord will be with us all. If He don’t help us, we are gone. I am so cold at this time I can hardly write. I and James Baker are off in the woods by ourselves and writing to our loving wives, and can’t be with them. Tell Bun and Bill to write to me. Good-bye for this time. To M.J. Edwards W.H. Edwards Tell Elias that I haven’t washed my face in three days, when you see him again. (20) Camp Orange Court House, Va. Nov. the 12th, 1863 Dear Mollie, I take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines, which leaves me well, all but the itch, and that is mighty bad on me. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the family all well. Mollie, get Bun or some person to go to Wilson and go to old Crismond and get some of his ointment and rub it on you and the children, and it will cure the itch, and if you get the chance, I want you to send me some of that grease, if there is any passing out here. I have written to you nearly every day lately, so I will close for this time. I remain your loving husband until death. Write soon. W.H. Edwards Mollie, I heard from George the other day, and he was well then. I will go to see him the first time I get the chance. Tell Bun to write to me. W.H.E. This is a beautiful day today. I wish I was at home with you, and there had to stay. W.H.E. (21) Camp Winder Hospital, VA. Nov. the 22, 1863 Dear Mollie, I seat myself to inform you that I am in the hospital in Richmond, but I am not sick at all, but I have got the itch. It is not any worse than it was when I left home, but I want to get well of it, and I had as leave be here as anywhere in this ward. I got here today. I get plenty to eat, but I haven’t got any clothes. I haven’t got but one letter from you since I left you, but I heard said that there were some letters at the Regiment for me, and I would be glad to hear from you and know if you have got your crop housed, and know how you are getting along. I would be glad if you would send me a pair of pants, a shirt, and a box of potatoes and chicken in it, and send me a pound of coffee, and I will send you some money. Mollie, I want you to get John Carter to come and bring it to me as soon as you get this, and if he will come, I will pay his expenses and pay him for his trouble, and if he won’t come, get somebody else to come, if you can, but get John to come if you can, and get him to come as soon as you get this letter, for I don’t know how long I shall stay at this place. Write all the times about the plantation; write all the news; write me a long letter, for I want to know what is going on, and I want to know if you have written to me lately, or not, and send me a bottle of molasses and a pone or two of corn bread. Tell Bun that I received his letter, but I haven’t had the chance to write to him, for I left the next morning after I got his letter. I got it on the 17th instant. I was sorry to hear of his accident. I hope this will go safely to you and find you and the family all well. I will close for this time. I remain your loving husband until death. W.H. Edwards Tell John to come to Camp Winder Hospital, fifth Division, Ward 33, Richmond Va. Send him as soon as you can. (22) Camp Winder Hospital 5 Division, Ward 33 Richmond, VA. Nov. the 26, 1863 Mr. John B. Woodard Wilson, NC. Dear Brother: I seat myself to inform you that I am getting along as well as I could expect. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you enjoying the best of health. I hope this will find you better off than you were when you wrote to me before. Bun, you must not think hard of me for not writing to you any sooner. I received your letter of the 17 of instant and was glad to hear from you any time. Bun, Sam Marshmon and another one of your Company are here in the hospital. Sam cut his foot with the ax, and the other one sprained his ankle. I am faring as well as I could expect to at the hospital. You had better mind how you graze the cattle, or you will have to pay seventy-five dollars. You had better try the old arm again, and if it should be the case, you would not have it to pay for. Bun, write me how you have been getting along with the red coat. I wish I could be at home with you now, for I ate a bat of oysters the other day, and I have been pretty rampageous ever since, but I don’t intend to pester anything in Virginia. Well, I will come to a close by saying I remain your loving brother until death. Write as soon as you get this. Direct your letter as this is headed. W.H. Edwards Tell Mollie to send what I wrote for, if she hasn’t sent it. I wish I was with Mollie tonight, so good-bye. (23) Camp Winder Hospital 5 Division, Ward 33, Richmond Va Nov. the 30, 1863 Dear Mollie, I received your kind letter today and was glad to hear from you, but was sorry to hear that you were not right well. This leaves me well, all but the itch. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the children all well. Mollie, I wrote to you before I wrote to Bill Batts. I am sure that you never got that letter, for I was looking for some person to come and bring me a box. I wrote to you to send me a shirt and a pair of drawers and a pair of pants, but I don’t want anything now but a pair of socks and a pair of pants and a parcel of potatoes and a chicken or two and some butter. I wrote to Bill to send me some butter in the box you are going to send to me. Mollie, I get a plenty to eat, but it isn’t fit for a dog to eat. I get for dinner a piece of beef, and a small piece at that, but I get plenty of beef soup. It is not fit for a dog to eat. I have fallen off since I have been here. I get one piece of old puff-bread and it is sour. Bun knows how it is. Mollie, if you haven’t sent anybody, as soon as you get this send me a little piece of hog meat and a little corn bread. They are fighting out here every day, but I am not in it. That is enough for me to say to you about it. You may guess at the balance. You need not be uneasy about me. Well, I will begin to come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death. W.H. Edwards I want a little hog meat and a little corn bread, a pair of pants, a pair of socks, some butter, some chickens, and a heap of potatoes. Write soon and often. (24) Camp Winder Hospital 5 Division, 33 Ward Richmond, VA. Dec. the 7, 1863 My Dear Mollie, I take the pleasure of writing to you once more to let you know how I am getting along. This leaves me in tolerable good health at this time. I have got the itch yet, but it is getting better. I hope this will go safely to you and find you and the children enjoying the best of health. Mollie, I have been looking for someone to come and bring those things that I wrote for. If you don’t send them soon, I may have to leave in a short time. If you haven’t sent them, send as soon as you can, for I saw a man eating of a piece of backbone today, and it looked so good to me. I wish I was at home now to eat some sausages with you. Oh, it would seem so good to go home now, but I don’t see any chance to go, for I haven’t had off enough o get a furlough. I wish I could be at home to lie with you of nights, for it is mighty cold to lie by myself, and I guess you miss me to keep you warm. Oh, the time is passing away, and we can’t enjoy ourselves together. It is hard to think of it, but there are many in the same fix. Mollie, the men at home think they see hard times, but they don’t know what hard times are, but I hope there will be a time when we can be together again and enjoy ourselves as we have before. I think of you all the time, wishing that I was with them more whom I love the best of all things in this world, and I can’t be with you. It makes me mighty sorry to think of it, but I live in hopes. We must put our trust in the good Lord, and he will provide for us if it is His will, and without His will we can’t do anything. Mollie, I received a letter from Bun today. I was glad to hear from him. He wrote that W.W. Batts was ordered off to Tarboro. I am in hopes he won’t have to stay long. Bun never wrote whether the Yankees were coming up to Tarboro, or not. I am in hopes that the Yankees won’t make another raid in North Carolina. Mollie, write to me how much rent-corn you got from Mr. Lester. You must do the best you can. I am as poor as a snake. I don’t know what makes me fall away so if it isn’t hard studying, for I don’t sleep half of a night a-studying about you and the children. Well, I must come to a close, for you will get tired reading, so I remain your loving husband until death. Write as soon as you get this and give me all the news. W.H. Edwards Give Elias my best love and tell him to write to me, for he hasn’t written to me since I have been in the War, and I want to hear from him badly. I think he has forgotten me. If he has forgotten me, I haven’t him. I hope this War won’t last always, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (25) Camp winder Hospital 5 Division, 33 Ward Richmond, VA Dec. the 7, 1863 Mr. John B. Woodard Dear Brother: I received your kind letter which was gladly received. It found me in tolerable good health. I am well, all but the itch, and that is better. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you enjoying the best of health. Bun, I haven’t any news of importance to write to you at present. It is very cold out here at this time. I am seeing a nice time now, if I could get plenty to eat. I get a plenty, such as it is, but I never did love it in my life. I want some hog meat and corn bread and potatoes. I will come to a close for this time. I remain your loving brother until death. Write soon as you get this. W.H. Edwards (26) Camp Winder Hospital 5 Division, 33 Ward Richmond, VA Dec. the 20, 1863 My Dear Mollie, I received your kind letter and the things that you sent by Cousin Willie Batts, and I was glad to get them, but I am worse off than I have been. I have got diarrhoea. I was taken worse the day before Cousin Willie came, but I can be up, but I am mighty weak and poor and keep getting poorer. I think if I get much worse that I shall get a furlough. Mollie, I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the children enjoying the best of health. The things that you sent to me were mighty good. Cousin Willie brought me the things and went on to see some other boys, and I thought that he was coming back to see me again, but I haven’t seen him since. He did not stay with me but a few minutes. I will close for this time. It is night, so I remain your loving husband until death. Write as soon as you get this. W.H. Edwards (27) Camp Winder Hospital 5 Division, 33 Ward Richmond, VA Dec. the 22, 1863 My dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know how I am getting along. This leaves me poorly. I have got this diarrhoea, but I am not as bad off as I have been. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you and the family all enjoying the best of health. Mollie, I was surprised today to see Aunt Emily Joyner. She came here to see her son. I did not expect o see her, for I did not know her son was here. I was glad to see her, for it looked like old times. I thought of her as soon as I saw her. I said to myself I wished that it had been you, but I hope that I shall see you before long, for I am going to do my best to get a furlough, and if there is any chance to go, I will. I wish I could be at home with you to take Christmas, Mollie. I have got some old things I wish were at home, but Cousin Willie did not stay with me but a few minutes. I thought he was coming back to see me again before he left. He had to go see some other person, and I haven’t seen him since. The pants fit me mighty well. I have got them on now, and I was glad to get them and the socks, for I was needing them. You ought to see me eat potatoes. I am sorry that I haven’t got any money to send to you. I haven’t got but two dollars now to save my life. Well, I must begin to come to a close, for it is nearly bedtime. I sent you a paper the other day, and I want you to write to me if you get it. I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this night. W.H. Edwards To Mollie J. Edwards (28) Camp Near Woodville (NC) February 26, 1864 Dear Mollie, I seat myself to inform you that I am at my company safe. I got to it last night, and the Colonel is mad because I did not bring a horse when I came back. I don’t know when I shall get my detail, but I will work them awhile. Dear Mollie, I don’t know when I shall write to you again, but you need not be uneasy about me, if you don’t hear from me in a long time. I may write to you again soon. I am going to get out of this Company if I can. I was put up bad to find the Regiment. I don’t intend to get on a horse as long as the war lasts, nor then either. I think I shall get out before long, as soon as Lt. Williams comes back. I look for him back today, and as soon as I get out I will write to you again. I want to try to get to Tarboro if I can, but I don’t know where they will send me to. Well, I must begin to come to a close. I hope these few lines will find you and all the family well. This leaves me well at the present. Give my best respects to all the family, and tell Bill Batts I will write to him as soon as I can, so good-bye for this time. You need not write to me, not until I write to you again. W.H. Edwards (29) Camp near Woodville February 29, 1864 Dear Mollie, I will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am at the Regiment yet, but I don’t know how long I shall stay here. I hope these few lines will go safely to you and find you all well. This leaves me well at the present. Mollie, I hope I shall get away from this place before long. I think I shall go home to see you again soon, if nothing happens. I get a plenty to eat here at this time. I hope you will get along well and be satisfied. I will close. I remain your loving husband until death. I hope the good Lord will be with you. I must quit, for the boys are now ready to start, so good-bye. W.H. Edwards (30) Camp in Bertie County, NC March the 17, 1864 My Dear Mollie I seat myself to let you know how I am getting along. This leaves me well at this time. I hope this will go safely to you and find you and the rest of the family all well and doing well. Mollie, I haven’t got much news to write to you at this time. I am faring as well as I could expect to. I don’t’ get but a pound of meat for three days. You know that is not enough, but I have to make out with it. Mollie, I want to hear from you as soon as you get this, for I haven’t heard from you since I left you. I wish I was with you at this time. It would be a great pleasure to me if I could be with you tonight. Lieut. Williams is very sick. It makes me sorry for him. He is as poor in flesh as ever I saw him. I don’t know what is the matter with him. Well, I must come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death. When you write to me, direct your letters to Weldon, N.C., tot he 59th Regiment, Cavalry, N.C.T., Co. H, in the care of Capt. A. Barnes. Write as soon as you get this. Give me all the news. W.H. Edwards I want to know if George has got home yet, or not. (31) Camp near Oxford, NC April the 16, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know where I am and how I am getting along. This leaves me well at the present, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and all the family enjoying the same good health. Mollie, I was sent to Weldon to go before the Board, but the Doctors were sent off to go to the fight, so I haven’t been examined yet. I am now with the Company. I don’t know what they will do with me now. I think I shall go before another Board in a few days. Mollie, I haven’t got any news to write to you. I will do the best I can. Tell Bill Batts if he sells the land that I want to buy it. Tell him that his family can stay there if I do buy it, until he builds him a house, and longer if he wants to. Well, I will begin to come to a close by saying I remain your loving companion until death, so good-bye for this time. Direct your letter to Oxford, N.C. Write soon. W.H. Edwards (32) Camp near Oxford, NC April the 18, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know that we are ordered to Virginia, but I hope we shan’t have to go soon, if we have to go at all. We are ordered to start the 20, but I hope I shan’t have to go, but I don’t see any chance, if I am not sent before the Board. Mollie, this leaves me well at this time, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and all the family well and doing well. If we have to go to Virginia, I don’t know when I shall see you again, but I want you to do the best you can. I hope the good Lord will bring this cruel War to an end and let me go home and stay with you , as it is my wish and desire. I haven’t got any news to write to you at the present. I haven’t done any duty since I got back to the Company, and I don’t intend to do any, if I can help it. Well, I will begin to come to a close by saying I remain your loving husband until death parts us. I will write to you when we start to Virginia for good, then you can write to me when I write you again, so good-bye for this time. W.H. Edwards (33) Weldon, NC April the 23, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself to drop you a few lines, which leaves me well, all but a bad cold. I hope this will go safely to you and find you and the children well. Mollie, I have come to Weldon to go before the Board again, but I don’t think I shall at this place. If I don’t’ hear, I shall go to Petersburg, and if I can’t there, I shall go to Richmond, and if I can’t there, I shall go to the Regiment. Our Regiment is ordered to Virginia, and I expect we shall have a hard time, but I hope I shall go through safely. I don’t know when I shall write to you again. Give my love to all my friends, for I don’t know when I shall over see the all again. I will come to a close for this time. I remain your loving husband until death, so good-bye for this time. I hope we will meet again, if it is the good Lord’s will. Mollie, I hate to go back to old Virginia worse than I ever did in my life. W.H. Edwards (34) Camp near James River May the 30, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself to let you know that I am well at this time, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and all the family enjoying the same good health. I haven’t got much news to write to you at the present. Mollie, we are in one mile and a half of the Yankees. I have heard several large guns. Our pickets and the Yankees are one hundred and fifty yards apart, but the pickets don’t shoot each other. I expect we shall have a hard time out here, for I never heard the like of guns in my life, over among the Yankees. I have heard several large guns since I started this letter. Mollie, I haven’t done any duty since I have been back here. Well, I will begin to come to a close for this time, for the Yankees are shelling of us right now. They have thrown two shells towards us since I have sat down to write to you, so I must quit for this time, so good-bye. W.H. Edwards I will quit, for the times are getting too difficult here. Direct your letter to Petersburg, VA. (35) Camp near Petersburg, VA June the 2, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself once more to let you hear from me. This leaves me well as usual at this time, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to hand and find you and all the family enjoying the same good blessing. Mollie, I haven’t got much news to write to you, only we all see hard times here. I just came off of a picket last night, away in the night in the rain. I had been all one night and day, and it rained nearly all day while I was on picket, and it is raining now. They have been fighting ever since I have been out here. They don’t stop at night; they fight day and night. They fought all night last night and are fighting at this time. I have been in none of the fights yet, but I don’t know how soon I shall have to go in. Mollie, when I was on picket, I was in about one hundred and fifty yards of the Yankees. I could see the gunboats and hear them play their band of music. I could talk to the Yankees when I was on picket, if I wanted to, but I haven’t got any talk for them. I get a plenty to eat as yet, but I don’t know how long it will hold out. I have heard the cannons until I have got perfectly used to them. Mollie, I am as black as I can be and don’t know when I shall be any other way, only black and ragged. I think I shall be naked in a short time, if I don’t get some clothes. I haven’t seen my Company since I left home. The Company is not with the Regiment, but there are several of my Company with me. All the men that haven’t got horses are with the Regiment. I could sit and write to you all day, but you will get tired of reading so much at a time, so I will begin to come to a close for this time by saying I remain your loving husband until death. Mollie, I must say to you that I haven’t got a cent of money. We haven’t drawn our money yet, and I don’t know when we shall. Give my love to all my friends. Good-bye for this time. Please write soon and often. I wrote to Elias the other day. I did not put in his letter where to direct his letters to. Direct your letters to Petersburg, Virginia. Write soon, if you please. W.H. Edwards (36) Camp near Petersburg, VA. June the 10, 1864 My dear Mollie, I seat myself once more to let you hear from me. I can’t hear from you. I haven’t heard from you since I left you, and I have written two letters to you before this one. This leaves me well as far as health at this time, truly hoping these few lines will go safely to you and find you and all the family enjoying good health. Mollie, we have stopped now a little while. It is the first time lately. The Yankees like to have taken Petersburg yesterday. If it hadn’t been for our Regiment, they would have taken Petersburg for certain, and if our Regiment had been five minutes later, it would have been gone, but when our boys go there, they made the Yankees get away from that place in a hurry. I rode all night last night looking for them, and all day today. I was not engaged in the fight yesterday, but I shot them day before yesterday while I was on picket, and they shot me back again. The balls came close to me, but I was not afraid of them. They have marched until my feet are blistered and hurt very badly. I have been all over the battleground today. They never killed very many. The Yankees made a raid with their Calvary. They went back the same day. They could not stay, for if our boys had got to Petersburg about two hours sooner, they would have given them a lively time before they had got away from that place. I saw the boys dig up two Yankees today and take their pants off them, after they had been buried all night. I could not do that if I was naked. They would curse them while they were digging them up. Mollie, I want you to write to me, for I want to hear from you badly. Well, I must begin to come to a close, for it is almost night. I remain your loving husband until death. Give all my friends my best love, so good-bye for this time. Direct your letters to Petersburg. W.H. Edwards (37) CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA MILITARY TELEGRAM Dated Petersburg June 15, 1864 Rec’d at Wilson, June 17, 1864 o’clock MINS AM To Sheriff Barnes Inform W.W. Batts That W.H. Edwards Was shot dead Yesterday in enemy lines. (Signed) F.W. Barham Thaddeus William Pender (Feb 10, 1838- Feb 10, 1892) was son of Joseph John Pender and wife Elizabeth Bridgers of Pender’s Crossroads in northeastern Wilson County. James Pender (April 7, 1786-August 20, 1873) and wife Sally Routh (Sep 15, 1792-Dec 14, 1871) were the parents of General William Dorsey Pender. Daniel Baker (born in 1831) was a son of Blake Baker and wife Nancy Barnes. ON January 20, 1857, he married Mary Sharpe of Edgecombe County. On March 17, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, 5th North Carolina State Troops Regiment, C.S.A. He was captured at Williamsburg on May 5, 1863, exchanged, wounded at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, captured at Spotsylvania Court House on May 9, 1864, and released from Elmira Military Prison on June 21, 1865. Thomas F. Christmas, a millwright from the Piedmont area of North Carolina, who was also something of an inventor and lies under a tombstone in Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson. His son Daniel P. Christman served in the same Company and Regiment with “Sam” Marshbourne and “Bun” Woodard of Wilson County. John Carter (born in 1812) married Catherine (born in 1828) and was worth $1,625 in real and personal property in the northern part of Gardner’s Township at the time of the Wilson County Census of 1860. Camp Winder Military Hospital at Richmond Virginia was one of the most important of the Confederate Military Hospitals. John Thomas Barnes (Dec 22, 1830-Oct 9, 1894) was another son of Edwin Barnes and wife Theresa Simms of what is now Wilson County, NC. He was a Sheriff as early as October 26, 1858, and continued in office throughout the Civil War Period. F.W. Barham was a Virginian in the Confederate States Service at Petersburg.