Item No. 3608719

In this 1861 letter, John McWatters of Chester District, South Carolina, writes to Lieutenant John S. Wilson of the 1st South Carolina Cavalry to request a letter of recommendation for his services as “an overseer and being capable of carrying on a farm.” He states, “it will be a great advantage to me to have a good recommendation from a gentleman who has proved me to be a farmer, and one who will attend to business right.” The Wilsons operated the Rocky Creek plantation in Chester District. However, John S. Wilson was away serving with the “Chester Troop” (Co. D) near Columbia, while two of his brothers had gone to Virginia with the 6th South Carolina Infantry. McWatters continues:

Your father says if the war was to cease and you and your brothers was to get home, he wouldn’t need an overseer. But if you didn’t get home, he would need someone to attend to his business. So according to the uncertainty of the times, I thought I’d better be looking out in time, lest all places where good wages could be got might be filled…. Write to me as soon as this comes to hand, for it is hard times and it requires every poor man to be knowing where and how he is to maintain his family. There may be men in your company who would give good wages for a good overseer. If so, you could find out and let me know.

Records indicate that a “J. B. McWaters,” likely the same man, enlisted in Wilson’s company about seven months later on June 1, 1862.

The letter was written on two sides of a sheet of paper measuring about 7 3/4” x 6”. Creased at the original folds. The original postal cover is included. The full transcript follows:

South Carolina Chester district
Oct the 15th 1861

Mr. John Wilson

My dear sir, I write a few lines asking a favor of you, which I know you can grant to me. That is a recommendation as an overseer and being capable of carrying on a farm. So if I have need to look for a new home for another year, it will be a great advantage to me to have a good recommendation from a gentleman who has proved me to be a farmer, and one who will attend to business right. Your father says if the war was to cease and you and your brothers was to get home, he wouldn’t need an overseer. But if you didn’t get home, he would need someone to attend to his business. So according to the uncertainty of the times, I thought I’d better be looking out in time, lest all places where good wages could be got might be filled. So if you please, write me a few lines and send it to me.

Your family is well at this time and everything is going on very well. I hope my letter may find you well and all the rest of your company. N. B. Write to me as soon as this comes to hand, for it is hard times and it requires every poor man to be knowing where and how he is to maintain his family. There may be men in your company who would give good wages for a good overseer. If so, you could find out and let me know.

No more at present, only I remain your friend etc. etc.
John McWatters