Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
A fascinating war-date letter collection written by the Rutledge family of Upper Cross roads, Maryland. There are a total of twenty-eight (28) letters in this archive and of those eighteen (18) were written by two brothers who served the Confederacy, one as a surgeon and the other in the Quartermaster's Department of the Trans-Mississippi at Marshall, Texas. The first section includes thirteen (13) Confederate surgeon's letters written by Charles Abram Rutledge who enlisted in 1861 as a private in the 1st Virginia (Rockbridge) Light Artillery and was discharged from the battery in June 1862 after his appointment as assistant surgeon in the Confederate States Army. He remained in the Medical Department until the close of the war. His early letters in this group were written from the University of Virginia and are filled with much romantic patriotic Southern fervor. They begin in late 1860 shortly after Lincoln's election. They read, in small part: "…[University of Virginia, Nov. 14, 1860, to his sister]…I expect that you all are getting a good deal sacred now since Lincoln's election…it seems to be causing a great deal fuss all over the country. I got a letter from Monica…written just before the election. She said that they expected…Lincoln would be elected & there would be some trouble & if there was she would be at home pretty soon. There has been a good deal of excitement here ever since the election…most of the students are for a dissolution rite away and think that South Carolina has done rite &…all the southern states ought to go with her. A great many have got a blue rosette (cockade) which they wear on their hats to represent, I believe, that they are with S. C. I am afraid we are going to have some trouble…the south will never permit Lincoln to be President…Pa & Uncle Mac had better sell out now & go further south. I hope that they will not get to fighting until I graduate as I would like to be a surgeon…[University of Virginia, Jan. 20, 1861, to his sister]…I think that the people of Maryland are getting right anxious to secede and go with the Southern people, judging from what I hear. What does Pa think she will do-does there seem to be much excitement among the people…there is the most intense excitement here, as…you might judge where there is so many southern students…about 50 of the students from the seceding state have left . One of the law professor here resigned a few days ago and is now a candidate to the state convention…if all the members of the convention were as strong Secessionist as he, Virginia would not be long in drawing out of the Union. I would very much like to see the question settled as…I would study much better…I don't believe there is any certainty that the students will stay here until the end of the session…[University of Virginia, Mar. 3, 1861, to his sister]…I guess there is quite a stir & crowd at Washington today to see the grand fang-dango there tomorrow. I don't think judging from Lincoln's past speeches thatches Inaugural speech will take up many columns. I have just read his speech that he delivered at Washington a few nights ago…it is most nonsensical, childlike speech that I ever saw…a good many students are going to Washington today…the rail road is selling tickets for $5.00 to Washington & back…I would like to see this difficulty & excitement settled as it is very hard to confine your mind to studies while it continues. So far I have got along pretty well but it is the hardest kind of work to keep your mind from the condition in which the country is…there will be a half dozen student out of our class (which contains about 100) that will graduate this year…there is more reading of newspapers than of text books…[Charlottesville, Va., July 19, 1862]…I was very unwell…but after staying with my friends…and away from all excitement I have…entirely recovered…[Warrenton, Va., Sept. 29, 1862]…concerning my humble self…I am in good health and spirits though our town has just fallen intuit he hands of the enemy with about 500 sick & wounded men whom they have paroled, but as I belong to the Medical Corps, who are respected by both sides, are not held as prisoners. I remain unfettered without any disturbance…I have not heard from John R. R. for about two weeks but I think he is at Winchester…C. A. Rutledge, Asst. Surg. C. S. A., p. s. I send this through the kindness of the Federal Surgeon…[Charleston, S. C., April 13, 1863]…owing to the unusual excitement of the past week I have neglected to write…it has been reported in the New Y. papers that this city had fallen, but I hope that the falsity of such reports has been disposed ere this…I am not yet in the hands of the enemy. I left Savannah about one week ago…I have not heard from Brother John since he left Richmond for his new…situation in the west. The mail is very irregular & I expect that I will not be able to hear from him very soon…many months shall have passed by [before] we shall all be united again around the fireside. Methinks I can already see the bright light of peace breaking through the dark clouds of war & distress and begin to throw its beautiful & sweet rainbow of peace & happiness over this now disturbed country…we have vegetables in the market now in great abundance & all kinds. The farmers are planting very little cotton this year merely enough for home consumption, but plenty of corn…I hope this war will have the same effect upon girls at home that it has had in the Confederacy, that is making them more industrious and economical. The young ladies are now wearing home spun dresses and those who live in the country are learning to spin & weave…they are becoming more economical generally…we would get along as well with our ports blockaded as any other way…I am sorry to say it has caused or has given speculation a good chance to get along which has caused clothes and all dry goods [to be] very high although there are plenty of them in the Confederacy…I am a great mind to ask Pa to send me grey cloth enough for a uniform & a pr of boots, if so send them to Mr. Cornelius Mahoney, Nassau N. P. & ask him to send them to Charleston…write to me care Surgeon J. P. Chayal…[James Island, S. C., Sept. 6, 1863]…I hope you are not…uneasy about your rebel brother who is now assisting in the defense of the Noble City which our enemy are attempting to destroy and should they succeed in getting possession of Charleston we will see the barbarous conduct of Butler…I have…been on this island nearly two months…I would say something in reference to the operations offensive & defensive that are now going on around this "nest of Rebellion", but I fear something might occur which would make it unpleasant to all parties. I will merely say the enemy are not yet in Charleston…you must be my most punctual writer as the last two letters…I have received now from you…are the only ones I have got since last January. Perhaps your letters are more fortunate than the rest in running the blockade and I hope you will continue to slip them through…I wish that I could write to you knowing that my letters would go direct and without any risk of causing trouble…soldiers in camp do not fare as well as if we were staying at Barnum's , in fact our fare is very slim…I can fight for [?] cause many year yet on our rations…[Savannah, Ga., Jan. 17, 1864]…I received your very welcome letters of Aug. 13th and Oct. 15th by the same mail two days ago. The letters were brought into the C. S. by Capt. Robert Thayer & forwarded to Major G. S. Burst…the one of Oct. 15th is the first one I have received from home since the death of our dear Brother Jerry. Oh how anxiously…was I anticipating his arrival in our dear Confederacy and Oh how sad was the news to me almost a stranger in a strange land…I received a grew deal of sympathy from any one who heard…of the buoyant youth giving up his life fro freedom's cause…he had done his whole duty and our dear Savior had called him forth…I have just heard from Brother John who is still at Shreveport La…I visited nearly all of our relations while in Va…I visited the old walnut tree that you have…heard Ma speak about when in the old Revolution some of our ancestors used to whip the Tories [on.] The old tree is nearly dead and did not bear any walnuts…my campaigning this winter is very different from…2 years ago when we were marching through those mountains of Morgan & Hamilton Co. with beloved Old Stonewall. I don't suppose…you have an idea of the hardships that our little army underwent…I feel proud now that I have endured such hardships and know that I can and am willing to repeat them whenever my country needs such service. I am now living in an elegant little log cabin…this cruel war has been prolonged farther than we at first supposed or could have desired but trusting in the justness of our cause we shall hope on until it shall please the great order of all to give us an honorable and happy peace. When that…time comes I will…remain with you all in Md or we will all move to some one country. I trust to see my nation state yet rally under the Southern Cross…[Savannah, Ga., April 30, 1864]…I got a letter from Brother John…he is still at Shreveport La…he is anxious to hear from home, says he has not heard except through me since he left Va. Please write to him at Shreveport La. Cousin May left Montgomery sometime since for the west…[Savannah, Ga., May 28, 1864]…I met a very fine young lady in [Flor]ida who had a brother taken prisoner at Gettysburg whom she cant hear a word from. He is supposed to be either at Point Lookout Md or Fort Delaware. His name is Wm. Henry Crabtree Co. H, 2nd Fla. Regt. He was from Jacksonville. Please write to him & let me know as soon as you can his whereabouts…[Richmond, Va., June 11, 1864]…Arthur has been slightly wounded, but is better. I saw George McA. a few days ago-slightly wounded in leg…Jerry Ward is at Washington. Don't forget to write and see what you can learn of Wm. H. Crabtree 2nd Fla. Regt…I am going to Lynchburg this evening…[Richmond, Va., Jan. 26, 1865]…you will probably be surprised to hear that I am now in this place. I left Lynchburg on last Monday & expect to remain here at least until first of April. I got a transfer here for the purpose of attending the remainder of the course of Medical Lectures & preparing myself on surgery as I hope to get my promotion in the spring…I feel very much at home now. I am rooming with Dr. Thos. S. Latimer who is…a very clever fellow…I should like very much to see you all & expect such a thing may be possible during the year…[Prison Hospital Bo. 21, Richmond, Va., Jan. 28, 1865]…I wish you would fix up a small package and send [to] me per next Flag of Truce steamer -such things as under shirts & over shirts woolen-Boots or shoes-I wear No. 7, slouch hat No. 7 1/8, silk pocket handkerchief & neck ties and other articles you think I might need and enough to last for some time as I do not expect to get back again during the war…no Flag of Truce boat has left since…in the river…direct this package to Dr. Chas. A. Rutledge, Prison Hospital No. 21, Richmond, Virginia care of Col. Robert Ould, Agent of Exchange…".The second section of letters were written by John R. Rutledge who was Charles' brother. He originally enlisted in the 39th Virginia Cavalry Battalion and was detailed to serve in Confederate States Quartermaster's Department. He served in that department until the end of the war at Marshall, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana. This section includes five (5) war-date letters from him with the first two being written shortly after the beginning of 1861. These letters contain the same Southern patriotic fever as his brother's letters do while the remained of the group were written from Marshall, Texas, these letters, read, in small part: "…[Baltimore, Alms House, Jan. 7, 1861]…I sent you two pieces, the Marseilles Hymn & the Star Spangle Banner. I shall expect to hear them both played when I come up again. The Marseilles Hymn is a very general favorite & from present indications will be the national air of the Southern Confederacy. Although I should very much regret the necessity for forming such a confederacy yet I do not think that a finer piece of music could be selected for our national air. If Maryland goes with the southern states you will be regarded as very patriotic…I have had the "blues" most terribly ever since I came from the country…I am now on a pledge to abstain from finking until next Christmas so that I cannot get tight in order to be merry. The penalty in case of breaking the agreement is the sum f $10. So you can tell Cousin Martha that she need not be alarmed when I drive her buggy again to a party…[Baltimore, Alms House, Feb. 1, 1861]…I attended the performance of the Marine Band of Washington at the Maryland Institute…& heard them play the Marseilles. It was decidedly the tune of the evening. I am sorry that I got the wrong Star Spangle Banner…the political troubles seem to be increasing to such an extent that I should not be much surprised if I were called on to join the army of the South. In case Virginia goes out I shall secede at once from the Alms House & join the army. There is however some prospect of an adjustment which I hope will be made…I have received another letter…from Abe [his brother Charles Abram Rutledge] since I wrote to you. He has stood one intermediate examination & seems very well satisfied with his papers. He has some expectations of getting his diploma…[Marshall, Texas, August 24, 1864 with cover endorsed Examined & forwarded by C. S. A. asst. adjutant of exchange]…your welcome letter of May 13th was recd…it was the first letter I have recd directly from home since I have been on this side of the river…I have heard from you all several times of late through Abie. The last time I heard from him, he was at Richmond-had just arrived and was going to Lynchburg…as you will see from the date of this letter I have changed my location from Shreveport to this place…there are a great many young ladies here, one I have nearly lost my heart with…[Marshall, Texas, Sept. 26, 1864]…he said a Flag of Truce boat had arrived…Col. [Laurence W.] O'Bannon and family are all well…". The remainder of the collection includes ten (10) family related letters mostly written during the 1860, and appear to be rather newsy in content. Several of the original transmittal covers are included. Usual wear, else overall VG
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