Lenoir County, NC - Archelaus S. Pipkin Civil War Letters
LETTERS OF ARCHELAUS STEWART PIPKIN
Co. P
15th N. C. Regiment
Born 1 January 1838, North Carolina
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[Information provided to the Pipkin Family Association by Clara B. Henderson]
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York Town
July 7th 1861
J.W. Pipkin - Sr:
I wrote to you last Sunday and have not received any answer yet. I hardly
expected one so soon but I thought I would write today and let you know we
are all well today with the exception of a few bad colds. I have a very
bad coal. We had a fight last Friday and lost our colonel of the regiment
one of the best officers in the field. He had one hundred horsenen with him
at the time he was killed. One or two others were killed and 4 or 5 of the
yankees. The Va's and Yankees both ran at the same time. The Yankees to
their camp and the Virginians to theirs.
We are in the fifth regiment at last and I hope we will remain for awhile.
We have finished the breast works on the west side of York Town and Colonel
Hill has shown us our place of defense and says we must defend it at all
events, I don't think it believed by the commanders that we will have any
fighting soon in this place in ... time yet. You must write me every Sunday
morning, I suppose you have received my letter in this time and if you have
answer it immediate. Let me know how is John Brantly's crop and yours are.
Give my love to all and tell Bet to write to me. Also Hep and John Brantly.
I will close for the present.
Yours,
A.S. Pipkin
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Yorktown, VA
July 26th/61
Miss E.M. Pipkin
Dear Bettie
I take the pleasure of informing you that I and Elisha is well this morning.
Bud Sam is unwell but better than he was. He had some fever yesterday. Dr.
McNiell arrived here last evening with boxes of cakes and other things for
some of the company, nothing for me or E.J.P. ___ you before coald weather
would see Miss Mary Margaret McLean and get some black yarn cloth and make
Elisha and myself a pair of pants a piece and a round about [?] Also tell
Pa to quit ___ one woolen coat a piece like our Dress coat if you can find
them for us and send them by someone who will come here this fall. Make
them loose. Sleeves large tail reaching as far down as the knees. Guit us
some blankets. Double. We will need them this winter if we stay here. The
wind has full sweep at us for 1000 miles across the river ___ last Sunday
___ to Harnette again if she ___ In your answer. I heard from her ___ but
___ the message to ___ I sent ___ from E.J.P. in my last letter ___ W.B.
Smith sends his respects to the family. You mussnt look for letters from
me more than once a month. Paper sells for 50 cts. a quire. Envelops 25 cts
for pack of 25 in a bunch. So you must not expect to hear from this sorce
any more until money gets more plentiful. We never have rec'd any money yet
from the State or anywhere else. You must fix up a lot of cakes and apples
and send to us the first chance you see. Send us some ___ Tell Mrs. Sarah
and Gale Smith, Miss McWilliams and Bettie, May and Rebecca Parker to send
me and E.J.P. some cakes. We got nothing besides meat and bread. Son ___
them. Tell ___ send us a bottle of good whiskey for us to drink ___ best
___ is ___ so all of ___ and I ___ neighborhood.
My love to you all.
Your
A.S. Pipkin
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Yorktown, VA
Aug. 6th/61
Dear Bettie,
I received your letter last Saturday and by time you get this you will have
the one that I wrote the last of July. I am well and so is Sam & Elisha. I
have not had the measles yet but expect I will. You stated that you were
unwell but will be well by the time you receive this. We have some that is
very sick in camp. Some are in the hospital. Nearly all in camp are better.
Some have returned from the hospital week. You said thet Did had received a
letter from Yorktown, tell her for me to inclose the letter and send it to
me and I will hand it to the young gentleman that sent it to her. If she
does not want to send it back steal it from her and send it to me any how.
I want to cut his comb a little shorter than it is. He is a most too smart
for any use in the world. You must be certain to write once a week any how
if no more. We had pork and peas for dinner. I can't be beaten by any one on
pork an peas. I am as fat and hearty as a buck. Tell John [probably John
Pipkin] and John Brantly to send me some bottles of brandy and wine by the
first persons that comes this way. You will have to box them up so they will
not shake. If they shake they will suspect something is in the box and they
will break it open. If they do I will never guit anything. I went up the
river Monday about three miles and back. The farthest I have been since I
have been here. This is a dull place sure as you live. Tell pa that I can
see more fish at one sight here than he would catch in five years in Little
River regular fishing. They are so thick that you could not put your finger
amongst them without punching one or two any hows.
It is time for me to start for the poast office and will have to quit writing.
You must excuse this badly writen letter. I am in a hurry. Be sure to send me
Dids letter if she has not burnt it up. Send me some pickels. Save me some
black bery wine for Christmas. Give my love to all the family and tell them
to write so as I can hear from them once a week. Tell Hep to write to me.
You write as quick as possible to your brother.
A.S. Pipkin
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Yorktown, VA
Aug. 25th/61
E.M. Pipkin
I have concluded to answer your letter that I received from you by J (I). P.
Hodges. This leaves me very well. Elisha had a chill Saturday and one today.
He is right smart tonight. I hope he will be well in a day or two. The company
is mending very fast. Will all be well in a few days I hope. I received my box
of dry goods and chattels too or three days after Mr. H came here. He left
the boxes at west point and they were delayed. My box was all good. I think
more of the hams than anything else. My pants will do very well, whiskey first
trait, if you ever have anything to send to us let it be hams and whiskey.
That is all we want to live on these hard times. Send us more when Bud Sam
comes back but if we have to wait until he comes back we will wait some time
if he does like our captain has. Tell John when Sam comes back to send me
some money if he can draw any from the Co. by that time.
Send me a dollar or so in the letter in answer to this, I am out. My last
sixpense will pay poastage on this Monday evening. Send me a fiddle by Bud Sam
if one is to be had in your place of trade. Tell Hep I haven't any name for
her baby. I will try and think out one for her and write to her before long.
I give my love to her and tell her to take care of my hogs and fatten them this
winter for me next summer when I come home. You must send us some more socks
when Sam comes back. Send us some pickles if you please. Not less than one peck.
I would like pickels better than anything else we could get. Give my love to
all and write as soon as you get this.
Your borther
A.S. Pipkin
P.S. Send us a plenty of tobacco by Bud Sam. Get a common article from J.
Atkinson.
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Yorktown, VA
Sept. 25th 1861
Dear Bettie,
On the arrival of G ___ McLean I received your letter and a pair of socks
which brought me the welcome news that you all were well. Your letter did not
find me at home this time, I was gone on a trip to Williamsburg to fix the
telegraph wire. We had a good deal of work to do. I was gdne four or five days.
I am sorry the Yankees have got your sweetheart. That is, if he is the right
sort of grit. If he is not let him go for what he is worth.
You said I need not trouble about a name for Heppee's baby. I never have
thought of it since. I will admit she has give it a pretty name. Give my love
to her and tell her I will write to her the next letter I have time to write.
I am looking for Bud Sam this evening if he started Monday morning. I am glad
to hear so many of our young ladies have found the church but I do not believe
they are sincere in it. I may be mistaken. You say you have been riding Mary
Murdock back and forth to the office. (Try Selam Byrd will you). I expect you
all will turn wild and kill all of the horses before we guit back to Harnett.
We are ...
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