Excellent 7th South Carolina Letter Written Outside of Greensboro in April 1865

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004

Autograph Letter Signed, "J.C. Williams" 7th South Carolina, April 17, 1865, Camp Near Greensboro, 4p. octavo, and reads in part: "…we are now lying upon our oars knowing not which way to paddle, the sea is boisterous the waves run high. The great helm of the Confederacy Gen. R.E. Lee is said to be 'gone up' with the greater part of the army of Northern Va. This intelligence is discouraging to our troops, but while we have anything like an organized army I shall still like in hopes & even if our armies are all broken up, I shall still be willing to carry on a guerilla warfare as a last resort, rather than submit to the laws that will be impossed upon us by the Lincoln government, but the great strategist Joseph E. Johnston is with us we must put the helm of the Confederacy into his hands & trust on the guidance of an all wise providence to roll back the lofty billows and permit the old ship with her Capt. J.E.J. at the helm to pass through safely, delivering us from the hands of the Lincolnites…already the rumor is uite current in camp that we are entirely hemed in by the mighty armies of Grant & Sherman combined, our only alternative then will be to cut our way through to the trans-Mississippi army - but as I have already said, I abide by the decision of Gen. Joe. At the same time it looks hard to give up all the country on this side of the Mississippi leaving all our kindred & friends behind us, but it would be better to do this than surrender our army and give up the struggle - perhaps we will regain all lsot territory provided we can unite with the trans Mississippi army, such a Union will enable us to have a pretty good army & with the advantages that we will have over our enemy by possessing the west bank of the Mississippi River & all the territory west of it, will enable us to annoy our foe for many years to come…We consolidated on the 9th inst. our Regt (the 7th) & the 15th Regt. were thrown together. Cos 'G''I' & 'L' were consolidated into one company. I command it, the letter of the company is changed into 'D' so when you direct your letters to Co. 'D' instead of Co 'G' as formerly. Our Regt. still retains its old appellation (the 7th)…" VG.

Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).