Beschreibung:

40 items (including 19 soldiers’ letters and 2 related documents), 1 photograph; 1806-1882 (mostly 1858-1865). South Carolina had the distinction of setting a match to the fuse of Civil War, and among those who took to the explosion was John W. Smith, the son of a slave-holding family from Bennetville. Appointed sergeant in Co. K in April 1861, Smith served with the 8th South Carolina Infantry as it fought its way through Virginia, seeing action from First Bull Run to the Peninsula and Gettysburg, followed by hard service in Georgia and Tennessee, and then again in Virginia during the brutal campaigns before Petersburg and Richmond. An educated man and fine writer, Smith’s letters home, more frequent in the early years of the war, reflect the transformation of a young man from southern patriot into hardened veteran. Confidence and patriotic resolve mark Smith’s earliest letters. As a new recruit in Apr. 25, 1861, he described his regiment’s move from a very filthy, disagreeable place to better quarters: I have been to Charleston twice. It is a very noisy place. I went down to the Bay and saw several steam ships and also Forts Sumter, Moultrie, Castle Pinkney, &c. at a distance. I walked through the market House and never saw so much beef and meat of every kind, apples, oranges, pinders, &c. in my life. You could get anything there you wanted and any quantity of it... Such abundance, however, did not last once the regiment was sent north and began to experience war first hand. In late July, J.W. McLeod sent a note to the Smith family relaying vital news of the first battle of Bull Run: Mr. T.C. Weatherly telegraphed yesterday no one hurt from Marlborough. Our loss was 2500 killed, wounded & missing. Supposed to be 10,000 killed on the Lincon side. The Linconites Burnt every vilage in thare flight. It was a complete rout. The principal part of the Battle was on the left wing under Johnson the So. Ca. Troops ware under Bauregard on the Right. By October 1861, Smith was sharing the experiences of so many Civil War soldiers. Near Vienna, VA, he assured his family he had what a soldier most desired: We get a plenty to eat here now, that is we get as much flour and beef as we could want. But we get but little bacon and often have nothing to put in bread but soda and we have never had that only as we get it ourselves. We get some very fine beef. They have quit giving us coffee. Some of the men make a substitute for coffee out of meal & rice. They gave us a few sweet potatoes yesterday. They tasted very well... Three days later, complaining of the theft of his mattress and pillow, he wrote that his mood had been buoyed by a gesture from a supporter: I have one of the prettiest little Confederate flags you ever saw sent to me by a young lady of Manchester, VA. ‘Flag of the free hearts only home by angel hands,’ &c. The flag was sent in a letter which I recd. From Mrs. Owen Aid lady at whose house I stayed in Manchester. The young lay aforesaid does not live a thousand miles from Mrs. Owen’s. I became acquainted with her while I was staying in Manchester... Although Smith’s letters have little battle content, the 8th South Carolina was no featherbed outfit and from his perspective, the “Bloody 8th” earned its reputation for valor. Even as his regiment fell back before advancing union forces in October, he was confident in their success: I do not understand our falling back so far, but suppose Johnston & Beauregard do not wish to fight the enemy any further out than here. The Yankees are said to be in immense numbers on this side of the Potomac, but if they ever get as far as Bull Run again a great many of them will never see their darlings any more. No one can tell what will be done but you may rest assured that before Lincoln’s army ever reached Manassas Junction, tens of thousands of true Southern hearts will have ceased to beat. We may not have to fight the rascals soon, I suppose we will not unless they attack us, but if they do we w