Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle, January 30, 1864
Title
Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle, January 30, 1864
Description
Joseph Hoyle wrote his wife to inform her that he had arrived back in camp. He told her about a shooting he witnessed in order to punish a man for deserting. He also expressed how he now believed it was not right to punish deserters in such a way. He informd her that he received a letter from her and her brother Rufus opened it. He concluded the letter by listing what clothing items he wanted her to send.
Creator
Hoyle, Joseph J.
Source
Jeffrey M. Girvan, ed., Deliver Us from this Cruel War: The Civil War Letters of Lieutenant Joseph J. Hoyle, 55th North Carolina Infantry (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, 2010), 157-158.
Date
1864-01-30
Contributor
Rodgers, Keely
Type
Document
Coverage
Orange, Virginia
Original Format
Correspondence
Text
Near Orange, Va.
January, 30th, 1864.
My Dear wife:
I have the pleasure of dropping you a few lines, informing you that I arrived at the company yesturday evening. I got all my boxes here safe, but lost my valice and every thing in it. But I wrote you from Richmond about this. I found the men tolerably well though there is a good deal of sickness in the Regt. at this time. Dear Sarah, I had to witness one of the most affecting sights to day, I believe I ever did in my life before. That was the shooting a man in our regiment for desertion. The whole brigade was marched out in a square to see it. Although I was out I could not look at him when they shot him, so I turned my eyes off him when they went to fire. I felt very solemn indeed, and all appeared very serious. I will agree with you now that it is not rite to shoot a man. Dear Sarah, I got your and Belindas letters all right. Rufus had broken them open, but I do not know whether any body else seen them or not. I wrote you from Richmond what clothing I wanted you to send me, but I will here put them down again. A pair pants, pair draws, pair gallows you need not send me any shirt, as I had two in my trunk. Also a pair socks, and any other little thing you may think I will need. I have nothing further to write, except the weather favors snow.
Jan — 31st — This morning finds me well. As ever yours in hope and love.
My own dear Sarah Joe
January, 30th, 1864.
My Dear wife:
I have the pleasure of dropping you a few lines, informing you that I arrived at the company yesturday evening. I got all my boxes here safe, but lost my valice and every thing in it. But I wrote you from Richmond about this. I found the men tolerably well though there is a good deal of sickness in the Regt. at this time. Dear Sarah, I had to witness one of the most affecting sights to day, I believe I ever did in my life before. That was the shooting a man in our regiment for desertion. The whole brigade was marched out in a square to see it. Although I was out I could not look at him when they shot him, so I turned my eyes off him when they went to fire. I felt very solemn indeed, and all appeared very serious. I will agree with you now that it is not rite to shoot a man. Dear Sarah, I got your and Belindas letters all right. Rufus had broken them open, but I do not know whether any body else seen them or not. I wrote you from Richmond what clothing I wanted you to send me, but I will here put them down again. A pair pants, pair draws, pair gallows you need not send me any shirt, as I had two in my trunk. Also a pair socks, and any other little thing you may think I will need. I have nothing further to write, except the weather favors snow.
Jan — 31st — This morning finds me well. As ever yours in hope and love.
My own dear Sarah Joe
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Citation
Hoyle, Joseph J., Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle, January 30, 1864, Civil War Era NC, accessed November 9, 2024, https://cwnc.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/items/show/699.