Item No. 8590390

A Confederate soldier's letter written by Private S. A. McCluney of Company D (“Chester Troop”), 1st South Carolina Cavalry, to his captain, William A. Walker, while absent from the regiment because of illness. McCluney describes suffering from “chronic inflammation of the liver” and recounts the harsh effects of mercury treatment, writing that his "mouth was kept continually sore and finally my teeth became loose and face swollen from the effects of it."

Unable to work and facing financial hardship, McCluney pleads with Walker to advance him $50 so his family can purchase food, salt, and shoes, explaining, "Unless you can do something for me, my family will be compelled to suffer.… And I shall rejoin you as soon as I gain a little strength. And it would be a sorrowful day to me if I should have to leave my family in a starving condition."

Walker organized Company D of the 1st South Carolina Cavalry in 1861 and served as its captain through the early months of the war before being promoted to major. The regiment spent much of 1862 on the South Carolina coast before later campaigning in Virginia with the Army of Northern Virginia.

The letter was written on one side of a letter sheet measuring about 7 1/2” x 12”. Creased at the original folds. The original transmittal cover is included. The full transcript appears below

Oct 2nd 1862

Mr. W. A. Walker

Dear Captain
My Health is improving slowly. My disease is Chronic inflammation of the Liver. I have been under the influence of Mercury for the last three Weeks until the last four days past. My mouth was kept continually sore and finally my teeth became loose and face swollen from the effects of it. Therefore I was compelled to abandon the mercury for a few days. I think I will get well now. I feel more like regaining my health than I ever have since I took ill. This is not my first attack of this disease. I have been subject to it for the last 18 months. Dr. Barnes attends me and has from the commencement of the disease, &c.

Capt, through poverty I am compelled to beg a favor of you. I have to buy all the provision my family uses. I also have salt & shoes to buy for them, and I beg of you to send me fifty dollars. If you can’t get it from the Quartermaster, please send it to me and you can Reserve it out of my pay. Unless you can do something for me, my family will be compelled to suffer, as there is no chance to collect the sums due me for tuition, not even one dollar. And I shall rejoin you as soon as I gain a little strength. And it would be a sorrowful day to me if I should have to leave my family in a starving condition.
Your Obedient Servt.
S. A. McCluney