Raynors HCA 2018-10
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/20/2018
An interesting and historically important pair of Southern conscript's letters. These letters are heart rending to say the least and while reading them one not only gets a keen sense of a man's love for his wife, children and the life he left behind on his farm, but also his belief that he will meet those he left behind in Heaven once again if he dies before returning home. He is a man whose homesickness leads him to cry while thinking of his family. Quickly, he comes to terms with his new situation as a private in the Virginia Cavalry and it becomes clear he will do his duty. Fluvanna County, Virginia farmer twenty-five year old John M. Haden successfully avoided entering the war until February 5, 1864. That date found him a conscript in the Confederate army. He was assigned to duty in Company G, 5th Virginia Cavalry and brought with him his horse named "Albirt." Within days of writing the last letter we have from him he is captured during the battle of Trevallian Station, Va. on June 11, 1864 where General JEB Stuart was killed. He was first imprisoned at Point Lookout, Maryland, but was soon transferred to Elmira Prison Camp in the cooler climate of New York State. Sadly, fate caught up him with him in October, 1864, after suffering from chronic diarrhea, he died far away from family and friends and we can only wonder whether the family ever did come together again and meet in Heaven? Unfortunately, today if look for his grave in Elmira's national cemetery you would be hard pressed to locate his actual resting spot since there is two grave numbers listed for his name. His two letter, total six pages, read, in small part: "…[Ashland, April 16, 1864]…I wrote you that William Payne and Barrett would get off. It is not decided as yet…you talk about [my] getting off. William Black's papers…has been reproved. He is very much pleased. I would be two…there may be a chance for me to come home in two or three weeks…you wish to know how Albirt [his horse] was getting along. He is falling off every day. We get nothing but eight cups full of corn a day. That is enough if we had any rough food for them. They get so they will no eat corn without rough food…my dear Peggy…my purposes are fixed for heaven. If I never se you again I have a hope of meeting you in Heaven. If I should die before I see you & the little ones again I feel as if I am going home to a better land than this. Tell our little children what I say…and meet there Pappy in Heaven…John M. Haden…[Camp near Bottoms Brigge, June 5, 1864]…the only we had to cook our meat [is] sharpen a stick & cut off a piece of meat & hold it to the fire…now don't you trouble yourself about that…everything seems to be more quiet to day than it has for some time. The boys are all out on picket…it is Sunday. I hardly know when Sunday comes…Old General Lee has been very sick. He is getting about again. He is here today looking along the lines where our breesed works is situation of our artillery. Sometimes I think the Confederacy will soon run up the spout. As to our whipping the Yankees…we will never do it…I am in hopes this fuss will stop soon so I can get home…when you write to me [to] say something about Mr. James Hollow…he said her was thankful that someone thought of him…when I read that letter to him he cried. Told me to tell you to pray for him…when he dies go home to heaven…while I am writing things to you the water comes in me eyes so I can hardy follow the lines…Phillip Brown seem to hate it worse than any. He seems to be afraid of everything. I do hope that he will get off…if they was to get to cannonading right heavy I think he will [would] certainly die. What is the notion of the people [?] about the boys…will they let them come back to me after while or not…I have no use for logen down hear yet we are still running about yet…any certainty of the getting the box. I spoke to Capt. [Ruden B.] Boston [promoted colonel 6/16/64 & KIA High Bridge, Va., 4/6/65] about it he said he wanted one from home…but he was afraid…[because] he did not expect to get it…". Haden's phonetic spelling has mostly been corrected. Some stains, else VG (2 letters)
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