Southampton-Isle of Wight-Pittsylvania County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Letters.....Harvey, Samuel M., 1862 

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"Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 42, No. 279, Fri., Nov. 20, 1964, pp. 1-2 

Letter By Confederate Soldier At Zuni Found 

  With the interest of the nation focused on the Civil War as the centennial 
celebration gets in full swing, Mrs. J.W. Sparks of 408 Whealton Rd., Hampton, 
has found new interest in a letter written by her husband's grandfather. 

  The Confederate soldier was encamped at Camp Zuni in Isle of Wight County 
when he wrote his wife to assure her that he was well and safe. 

  Although the old soldier's spelling wasn't the best, his handwriting was 
clear on the page which apparently was taken from a ledger. 

  S.M. Harvey, writer of the letter, lived near Danville in Pittsylvania 
County when he marched off to fight for the South, according to Mrs. Sparks. 

  The letter was dated "Friday evening, May the 16th, 1862", 

  The letter was as follows: 

  "Dear Martha, I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well and 
whope this may find you all injoying the same great blesing.  We are still in 
camp neary Zuny in Southampton Co. 

  "The cars (evidently he was referring to trains) don't run no further than 
her(e) now and the(y) are taring the road and brigges down and the(y) say the 
yankey is bilding it up again between Norfolk and Suffolk since we left thar 
but the(y) did not do any mischief. 

  "The(y) say the(y) went thar and bought corn and meat nor I don't hear of 
any mischief the(y) done about Norfolk; all the things that has been destroyed 
our folks destroyed.  Ther(e) has not bin any fiting about her(e) nor I don't 
think ther(e) will be.  If ther(e) is much more fiting I think it will be 
about Richmond. 

  "It is a very pretty morning her(e) and some of our men have gone fishing. 
We all making out tolebly well her(e).  We have good tents.  Wood is 
convenient and we draw bacon, flower, coffey, shugor and candles.  We can by 
eggs from 12½ to 18 cents a dozen, and we have very good water here." 

  On the back of the letter was a list of corn borrowed two bushels at a time, 
apparently from a relative whose name was S. Harvey.  A second notation on the 
back shows the Harvey's sow had pigs on July 27 of that year. 

  Mrs. Sparks said she saw the writer of the letter once when she was about 18 
years old.  He was a picturesque man with a long, white beard, she recalled. 


Samuel M. HARVEY, of Pittsylvania Co., private, Co. F, 53rd VA Infantry, CSA, 
b. Sep 1821, Pittsylvania Co., d. 1902, Danville, 

*Additional information: 

Birthdate from the 1900 Census - Tunstall Twp., Pittsylvania Co. - which 
   states he had been married to Martha J. 52 years, with 10 of their 12 
   children surviving. 

He & Martha J. INNMAN m. 1 Aug 1848 in Pittsylvania Co. 

His widow applied for a Confederate widow's pension 20 Sep 1907 in 
   Pittsylvania Co. 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/letters/h610s1lt.txt