The Civil War: Treasured Letter Tells of Great-Grandfather's Death
Family's treasured letter, sent to great-grandmother, tells of esteemed officer's death during Civil War battle.
CAPPER's Staff
Good Old Days
The following letter was written on
May 18, 1863, to my great-grandmother, informing her of the death of her
husband, my great-grandfather, Capt. William Carbee. Carbee was killed in the Civil
War battle at Champion Hill,
Mississippi, on May 16, 1863.
RELATED CONTENT
Oscar H. Will inducted into Hall of Fame...
My father’s war memories were locked away in that mysterious, blue sack....
Frontier days pay tribute to American history....
Horse Progress Days began as a way for implement dealers to hawk their wares, but it’s become a ful...
The long-running festival celebrates the history of the First State, Delaware, with sea chanteys, p...
Edwards Station, Mississippi
It
becomes my painful duty to inform you that on the 16th, our worthy Captain and
your beloved husband fell on the Bloody field of battle while nobly and bravely
leading his gallant Company in one of the most desperate charges (on a Battery
of five guns) which had been made during the War.
He
was struck by a ball in the Right breast, which killed him instantly. I was by
his Side when he fell. Our, as well as your, loss is irreparable. His Kindness
and affection and Promptness in the discharge of his duty not only won for him
the admiration and esteem of his own company, But of the whole Regiment.
When
we get possession of Vicksburg,
if the authorities will permit, I will have him taken up and sent home, as it
was his request, and doubtless it will be a great source of comfort to you. I will
write to John Carbee as soon as we stop.
Yours truly,
A.R. Knott, 1st
Lieutenant
Alice Stewart
Cedar Rapids,
Iowa
Back in 1955 a call
went out from the editors of the then CAPPER’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of
letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in
their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell.
So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and
in 1956, the first My Folks title – My
Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the
shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true
tales from CAPPER’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available
to our growing online community.