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William Cowper Nelson Collection

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William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (29 October 1862)

William Cowper Nelson

Uneasy as he has not heard from home lately; he hears rumors of skirmishing; he is still in camp near Winchester and it is very quiet, although quite cold, especially without tents; hope to get orders soon to go to Winter Quarters; mentions having a grand review before General Lee. When the colors of the 17th passed Lee apparently took off his hat in respect to its "tattered and faded appearance;" Heard of the death of Bettie James Cage; and mentions some slaves leaving the Nelson; talks about slavery in general
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (29 September 1862)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of letters from home; lack of reliable news; had to leave Richmond in a hurry without needed supplies; talking about the fact that they would need to go to winter quarters before long and then the war would stop for a while since "both armies are too badly crippled to do much, for some time; mentions provisions, as well
William C. Nelson to Thomas Nelson (24 July 1862)

William Cowper Nelson

Recent letter from Tom; description of what it is like to participate in a big battle (Seven Days Battles); not all "crimson glory and undying fame"; possibility of Lincoln's calling for 300,000 more men; burial of a friend; camped near Richmond; girls of Holly Springs
William C. Nelson to Thomas Nelson (6 October 1862)

William Cowper Nelson

Difficulty of writing in camp; talks about the battle of Maryland Heights and Antietam both in Maryland; speaks about death and wounding others; took a haversack full of food from the enemy.
J. H. & Maria Nelson to William C. Nelson (6 April 1861)

J. H. Nelson and Maria Courtney Goodrich Nelson

Mother begs Will not to gamble or drink; worries about camp life; father writes about his enjoyment of Will's letters home; mentions several friends and family; talks about a young man who ran away to Pensacola against his parent's wishes
Thomas Nelson to William C. Nelson (11 June 1861)

Thomas Nelson

Receipt of letter; father working in Mr. Vaughan's storehouse; formation of companies of young boys in Holly Springs
William C. Nelson to Elizabeth L. Cage (21 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of her letter; worries that she is not "sound on the all-important question" of secession and may have union tendencies; discussion of slavery; discussion of honor; camp life; believes that foreign aid is probable
William C. Nelson to Foster Cage (16 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Battle of Santa Rosa Island, Florida
William C. Nelson to Foster Cage (2 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Sickness in camp; drills for the company; eagerness for fight to commence; Virginia's secession; Major McGuirk "getting up" a company; John Goodrich; general comments on camp life
William C. Nelson to J. H. & Maria C. Nelson (1&3 July 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Hope for peace but peace "with honor;" increased picket guards; camp life and drilling of companies; foraging; religion in camp; slave sent to him; their new house; Colonel Falkner; University Greys; prices in town
William C. Nelson to J. H. Nelson (23 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

New camp; Battle of Santa Rosa Island; light guard duty since fight; Mr. Pegues; commissary supplies low; movement into winter quarters
William C. Nelson to J. H. Nelson (2 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Mentions receiving mail from home; duties nursing the sick; where to direct mail; thoughts of an impending attack from Fort Pickens against the Navy Yard
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (10 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Battle at Santa Rosa Island
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (14 April 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

In My Tent, Sunday Evening. Sending letter by Andrew Govan; excitement in camp as there is a feeling that war is about to commence down in Florida; gathering of shells to send home; election for field officers held
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (14 July 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Enslaved persons in camp; pay; debts; standing guard; need of a "camp rug"; seeing a meteor; resignation of Lieut Jones; mentions people in camp from Holly Springs
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (14 June 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

His ambrotype; letters from home; friends in camp; status as a private; drowning of Lieut. Henry of Lafayette Guards; asking for family daguerreotype
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (14 November 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Arrival of two new Mississippi Regiments without arms; discussion of what it means to be a "veteran"; guard duty at the Hospital; going sailing with Col. Chalmers and family; deserters from Fort Pickens; day of fasting and prayer
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (15 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Battle of Santa Rosa Island, Florida; regiment moving its quarters to a new encampment nearer the Navy Yard
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (16 July 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Health of Regiment; some skirmishing by a picket guard on the Perdido; thanks for letter from home
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Fragment. Discussion of the stores in Warrington, FL; promises not to drink alcohol; family news; and asks about friends back in Holly Springs
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (19 July 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Camp life; picket duty; drilling for prizes; party at Col. Strong's that evening
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (19 November 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of letter from home; weather in Florida; Battle of Belmont, MO; schooling for Tom; payment; applications for discharge by some of the men; building of winter quarters
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (21 April 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

(Headquarters of the Mississippi Volunteers) Misfortune of Powell family; health concerns; visit to the Marine Hospital; description of Florida; secession of Virginia and excitement in camp; riots in Baltimore; Star of the West; and camp band; sending shells home.
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (21 June 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

His ambrotype; drilling of companies; guard duty; possible new orders to Fort McRee
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (21 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of package from home; on fatigue-guard; setting up camp; letter from Sister [Elizabeth Lyman Cage]; his health; asking about friends at home; asking for his mother to send a servant (presumably a slave) to cook and clean for him; asking about younger brother Tom
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (21 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of letter; Battle of Santa Rosa Island; materials sent in letter from Island
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (22 November 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Allusion to the bombardment on the Confederate naval yard and Fort McRee on November 22 and 23, 1861
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (23 June 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Receipt of letter from home; Will thanks her for sending a slave named Jim to cook and clean; discussion of slavery; problems with mosquitoes; sends thoughts to everyone at home
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (25 June 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Sending a letter by Willie Crump; probability of a fight as the federals have been reinforcing Fort Pickens; increased guard duty; large inspections; requests clothing be sent to him; writing from Col. Walters tent
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (26 January 1862)

William Cowper Nelson

Reached Corinth safely; saw more than 300 troops present there with new ones coming in all the time; religion and preaching in camp; news of John Goodrich's wounding at Fishing Creek; thinking of leaving the 9th and entering a regiment bound for Virginia
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (28 January 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Still at home in Holly Springs but improving in health; Mother is out of town visiting his sister in Helena, Arkansas
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (29 November 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Bombardment; the arrival of a new Mississippi Regiment (the 24th); appeal by General Bragg to reenlist under him for the war
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (29 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Firing of guns; Battle of Ball's Bluff; 17th & 18th Mississippi Infantry Regiments; winter quarters; General Bragg; Kinloch Falconer
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (29 September 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Travel to Pensacola from Mobile (must have been on furlough); University of Mississippi; Gus Powell receiving a discharge from Gen. Alcorn; alarms in the night; letter to sister; little sickness in camp
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (2 August 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Looking for a letter from home; Jim ill; camp life and guard duty; Battle of Manassas and list of dead and wounded; asking about family
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (2 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Religious life in camp; Dr. Barnard; flowers in Florida; missing Holly Springs
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (31 March 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Travel description from Holly Springs to Mobile; description of Mobile; camp life
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (3 April 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Description of life in Mobile; society; mentions several men from Holly Springs and new arrivals as well; sends word home to all friends and relatives
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (4 September 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Expecting a letter from home; absurd rumors of moving camp to Mississippi City or coast of Texas; fleet in harbor; death of one of their company; burial duty; ate dinner with Col. Chalmers and family; need for winter goods
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (5 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Camp life; package received from home; religion
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (7 April 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

No word from home for a while; life aboard ship (the Kate Dale); Fort Morgan; seeing the sea for the first time
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (7 October 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Looking for letter from home; camp life; movement into winter quarters soon; increased guard duty; religion; health
William C. Nelson to Thomas Nelson (2 May 1861)

William Cowper Nelson

Thanking him for recent letter; description of camp life for his little brother; and description of Florida
H. W. Walter to Maria C. Nelson (26 June 1861)

Harvey Washington Walter

Giving an update on Will to Mrs. Nelson
J. H. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (11 December 1860)

J. H. Nelson

Talks about most recent letter from Will and hope that he will stay at school a bit longer before coming home. Most of the letter is dedicated to the shooting of Reverend Joseph Holt Ingraham and his last moments
J. H. Nelson to William C. Nelson (11 December 1860)

J. H. Nelson

Received his most recent letter but is concerned about his coming home so early for the Christmas holidays. Mentions that Will's mother arrived at Helena on Wednesday last; describes the terrible accidental shooting of Rev. Joseph Holt Ingraham
William C. Nelson to J. H. Nelson (10 December 1860)

William Cowper Nelson

Worried that he had not received an answer to his most recent letter; talks about the awful food at the Hall; asks for more money to pay off his debts; asks if Col. Charles L. Thomas was killed on the tracks; gives his love to all the family, especially his little brother Tom
William C. Nelson to Maria C. Nelson (2 March 1860)

William Cowper Nelson

Howard [Falconer's] visit to Holly Springs; description of the boarding conditions; his health; asking for his summer clothes as the winter is ending; competitive recitations; academic standing in class; mentions Mr. Stearns