Item No. 9484952

“Genl Beauregard was over here the other day and seems to be very sanguine of the result, but he don’t say much. Just looks and thinks. I never saw him before. He is a good man, I think, and the troops all have strong confidence in him. Times look brighter now all round this place.”

Alonzo A. Vanderford, a lieutenant in the 21st South Carolina, wrote this letter home to his wife Cynthia in September 1863. Vanderford was at Fort Johnson in Charleston Harbor, where the regiment had recently moved after the battles in July at Fort Wagner, during which he had been wounded. He opens the letter noting that he had not “done any duty for nearly a week,” perhaps still recovering from his wound. He then speculates that the regiment might soon move:

After you receive this letter don’t write any here to me at this place until you hear from me, for I think that I will go to the City in a day or two. And if I do I may go to Columbia or to some other place, and there I will write to you. Don’t be uneasy. I will take care of myself, or try to do so.

He continues discussing the condition of his regiment and the rotation of new troops into Fort Wagner:

I don’t think that our Regt will go back to Wagner in some time. The health of the Regt is bad at this time. Only about 200 men for duty on account of getting wet for three days and nights and keeping on their wet clothes. And there are two new Brigades here now, and they are now taking their turn at Wagner. The old place holds out yet, and is still strong enough to keep the yanks back. And we all now think Charleston safe from the water side, and enough of men to keep them off from the sand side. But as my house is for sale I had better not put too good a face on it. I don’t think that they can ever take the place. They may throw shells into and burn some of the houses, but that will not be taking it.

Vanderford next writes about seeing General P. G. T. Beauregard for the first time:

Genl Beauregard was over here the other day and seems to be very sanguine of the result, but he don’t say much. Just looks and thinks. I never saw him before. He is a good man, I think, and the troops all have strong confidence in him. Times look brighter now all round this place. The Enemy have spent a great deal of money and but a great many men since they came here, and they have to use their guns at such long range that they don’t last long.

Following the failed July 18 attack on Fort Wagner, the Union Navy had kept up a nearly constant barrage on the position. In the letter, Vanderford hopes for the best for friends in the Eutaw Regiment (25th South Carolina):

The Eutaw Regt, the one that Kendrick Liles belongs to, went over to Wagner a night or two ago, and I reckon by this time he has seen something that he hasn’t seen before. I hope that they will all have good luck and none be killed.

Near the close of the letter, Vanderford mentions having a new uniform made. “I would like to have my measure taken and a cut to suit,” he writes, “if I can only get the right kind of buttons to put on it.” He adds, “Kiss Sallie for me and tell her to be a good little girl, and papa will come home again some time and see her.”

Just three days after the letter was written, the Confederates would abandon Fort Wagner on September 7. Vanderford and the 21st South Carolina would remain in Charleston through the spring of 1864, when they were transferred to Virginia. Vanderford would be severely wounded at Petersburg on June 24, 1864, and would have his left leg amputated. He would succumb to his injuries on June 28.

The letter was written on four pages of a 5” x 8” bifolium letter sheet. Excellent condition with light toning. Creased at the original mailing folds. The full transcript appears below.

Fort Johnson, Sept 4th 1863

My Dear Wife
This morning I write you a few lines to let you know that I am not very well at this time, but I hope this will find you well. I have not done any duty for nearly a week and don’t expect to do any for a few days to come. I rec’d your letter of the 1st of this month yesterday, and I was glad to hear from you and to hear that you are as well as you are. After you receive this letter don’t write any here to me at this place until you hear from me, for I think that I will go to the City in a day or two. And if I do I may go to Columbia or to some other place, and there I will write to you. Don’t be uneasy. I will take care of myself, or try to do so.

There is nothing new to write about, only I don’t think that our Regt will go back to Wagner in some time. The health of the Regt is bad at this time. Only about 200 men for duty on account of getting wet for three days and nights and keeping on their wet clothes. And there are two new Brigades here now, and they are now taking their turn at Wagner. The old place holds out yet, and is still strong enough to keep the yanks back. And we all now think Charleston safe from the water side, and enough of men to keep them off from the sand side. But as my house is for sale I had better not put too good a face on it. I don’t think that they can ever take the place. They may throw shells into and burn some of the houses, but that will not be taking it.

Genl Beauregard was over here the other day and seems to be very sanguine of the result, but he don’t say much. Just looks and thinks. I never saw him before. He is a good man, I think, and the troops all have strong confidence in him. Times look brighter now all round this place. The Enemy have spent a great deal of money and but a great many men since they came here, and they have to use their guns at such long range that they don’t last long. The Eutaw Regt, the one that Kendrick Liles belongs to, went over to Wagner a night or two ago, and I reckon by this time he has seen something that he hasn’t seen before. I hope that they will all have good luck and none be killed. I can’t think what the reason could have been of Capt. Tarth keeping the letter so long. I hope that by this time he has sent you the $210 and the salt that I think will be both enough to last you nearly a year or two. Use it first and the Liverpool salt keep till the last.

The suit will look very well if it is made up right. I would like to have my measure taken and a cut to suit if I can only get the right kind of buttons to put on it. Kiss Sallie for me and tell her to be a good little girl, and papa will come home again some time and see her. Tell Ma that chickens are worth $3 here now. Tell her to make all the money she can and get rich while the money is going. Tell your Pa that the insurance on the house will have to be transferred if he sells it, and I will transfer to anyone for the same amt I paid. Write as soon as hear from me again.
Your Loving Husband
A. A. Vanderford