Item No. 9900329

An unsigned December 1864 letter from Confederate General Matt W. Ransom to his wife in which he discusses the family’s illness, freezing conditions in the Petersburg lines, the return of the use of his wounded arm, and a Union raid that threatened their home near Weldon, North Carolina.

Ransom opens the letter thankful for having received word that “you & the dear boys were well,” and warning Pattie that “you can not be too prudent with them for a month,” referring to a bout with measles. “The sequel to measles is very dangerous,” he cautions.

He continues noting that “we are in the midst of a snow & sleet” and that “everything is frozen up.” Although he was comfortable, “having very good fires, shelter, & clothing,” he was concerned about the welfare of his men. “Heaven bless us,” he writes. “Have mercy on the poor soldiers this winter.” Ransom is pleased that his arm, which had been useless since he was wounded while leading the 35th North Carolina at the Battle of Malvern Hill in 1862, “is improving very much & promises to be right useful again.”

Ransom then discusses the Union raid that was moving toward the family’s estate near Weldon, North Carolina:

I reckon by this time you have hear from Dr. Roberts & that a column of Grant’s army is moving on Weldon. I tried very hard to go to meet them, but Genl. Lee would not let me go, so I bear it patiently. I have sent out directions for moving everything of value, if necessary, and am very glad that the fear of losing property does not distress me. As long as I live, I can take good care of you and shall only love you more, if any [illegible] comes on us. Sometimes I am romantic enough to wish almost that something might happen to give me an opportunity of proving all that I would do for you. I guess you had rather be spared any such trial.

The raid, often called the Stony Creek Raid or the Applejack Raid, had indeed moved in the direction of Weldon. Federal troops tore up sections of the Weldon Railroad as far south as Hicksford, but didn’t reach the North Carolina state line.

Ransom writes further about the raid’s implications:

It is unnecessary to write you anything of Grant’s movements, as you will hear before this reaches you, when then we not know. I think, however, that we are safe at home for the present…. I wonder what all the people in our neighborhood will do now. Lee can not afford to lose Weldon. If so, he must evacuate Virginia and he will hate very much to do that. Any way, I intend to keep in good spirit & do all that I can for us. I feel so much better since I can use my arm some.

He then attempts to provide some comfort. “Bless you, my darling child,” he writes. “I only love you the more for everything you do….”He addss, “you can do nothing wrong in my sight. I only with all my soul pray you to love me, & thank our Heavenly Father for blessing me with you. I wish you could see my heart & know how perfectly it is yours.”

Of his oldest son, Matt W. Ransom Jr., he writes, “he is a fine, noble boy. I fear I love him too much. When I heard that he was sick, I felt that he was almost to die to me.”

The letter ends abruptly without a closing and is unsigned, suggesting that an additional sheet is missing. It was written on four pages of letter sheet measuring about 5” x 8”. The handwriting is faint, but legible, and compares very favorably with other known examples by Ransom. Creased at the original folds, where there is also some foxing and toning. There is also some minor paper loss and tape repairs, most of which does not affect the text. The full transcript appears below:

Petersburg Va.
Dec 10th 1864

My own darling wife:
Your dear letter of the 7th I rec’d yesterday & was made [illegible] that you & the dear boys were well. You can not be too prudent with them for a month. The sequel to measles is very dangerous.

We are in the midst of a snow & sleet. Everything frozen up. Heaven bless us. Have mercy on the poor soldiers this winter. I am tho’ quite comfortable, having very good fires, shelter, & clothing. My arm is improving very much & promises to be right useful again. And I am quite well, tho’ growing right thin. I shall soon be an old man, if the war lasts. I hope you will not suffer similarly, but any way you will always be perfectly beautiful [illegible] to me & that is enough.

I reckon by this time you have hear from Dr. Roberts & that a column of Grant’s army is moving on Weldon. I tried very hard to go to meet them, but Genl. Lee would not let me go. So I bear it patiently. I have sent out directions for moving everything of value, if necessary, and am very glad that the fear of losing property does not distress me. As long as I live, I can take good care of you and shall only love you more, if any [illegible] comes on us. Sometimes I am romantic enough to wish almost that something might happen to give me an opportunity of proving all that I would do for you. I guess you had rather be spared any such trial.

It is unnecessary to write you anything of Grant’s movements, as you will hear before this reaches you, when then we not know. I think, however, that we are safe at home for the present. I heard from Father a few days since. All were well. I have not heard from Dr. Roberts yet. I wonder what all the people in our neighborhood will do now. Lee can not afford to lose Weldon. If so, he must evacuate Virginia and he will hate very much to do that. Any way, I intend to keep in good spirit & do all that I can for us. I feel so much better since I can use my arm some.

Well then, troubles shall not prevent me from getting you the very nicest dropper to be had—brown if possible, with something red fur trim [illegible] so beautiful [illegible]. If the hair nets can be had I will send them up.

Do not think of me if given any trouble about you just at Weldon. Bless you, my darling child. I only love you the more for everything you do [illegible] me. I believe for some more [illegible] “just” of you. God bless you, by devoted angel. You can do nothing wrong in my sight. I only with all my soul pray you to love me, & thank our Heavenly Father for blessing me with you. I wish you could see my heart & know how perfectly it is yours.

I am very glad that Matt has resolved to go to school. It is very important now to press his education. He is a fine, noble boy. I fear I love him too much. When I heard that he was sick, I felt that he was almost to die to me. I wonder how you will manage [illegible] & his [illegible]. Well, we will see. Tell them I will bring them all something nice when I go home.

Tell Tom that D. Meary is very well & very anxious to go home. Tell him that he laughs heartily at his “bluff” about his hold on friends. I say his intention was all a ruse, a ruse d’amour or a ruse de guerre. Ab. McBeth [whole line illegible] am so thoughtless & crass, but I am always loving you most perfectly & am sure as this little [illegible] paper, my head spins to you more [illegible] & brightly than before. I do not think I ever wrote you a cold word. I hope that I never did. Yet the world thinks me very different.