1861-07-30: Phil F. Mitchell to Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, Letter
This document is a letter from Phil F. Mitchell to his mother Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, written from camp near Norfolk, Va., on July 30, 1861. He discusses his recent illness, his romantic difficulties, and his sister's recent engagement. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the...
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| Format: | Electronic |
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Auburn University Libraries
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| Online Access: | http://content.lib.auburn.edu/u?/fmw01,36 |
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Electronic |
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Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Papers Collection |
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Auburn University Digital Library |
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Auburn University Libraries |
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Family letters |
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Family letters 1861-07-30: Phil F. Mitchell to Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, Letter Mitchell, Phil F. |
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Family letters Mitchell Family; Alabama--Social life and customs--19th century; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Correspondence; Letters; Medicine--History--19th century; Peoples -- Military Life; Government & Politics -- Military; History -- 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction; Peoples -- Domestic Life; |
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1861-07-30: Phil F. Mitchell to Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, Letter |
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1861-07-30: Phil F. Mitchell to Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, Letter |
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This document is a letter from Phil F. Mitchell to his mother Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, written from camp near Norfolk, Va., on July 30, 1861. He discusses his recent illness, his romantic difficulties, and his sister's recent engagement. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the Virginia colony in the early 1700s. Over time, the family moved from Virginia through the Carolinas and into Georgia before finally settling in Line Creek, Alabama and Verbena, Alabama. Several members of the family were active politically including William Fitzpatrick, who served in the Georgia legislature, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who served two terms as governor of Alabama. Sarah Fitzpatrick, a descendant of this family, married Columbus White Mitchell who was from a prominent Alabama family. The couple had ten children, seven of whom survived infancy. Three of their sons served in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy (Phil F. Mitchell, Joseph A. Mitchell, and Columbus White Mitchell). Their daughter Mary Louisa, a central figure of this collection, married Dr. Samuel "Trinley" Thomas Williamson in September 1861 shortly after the war began. Williamson was a medical doctor who also fought in the Confederate armed forces. With Williamson and the three Mitchell brothers away fighting, Mary Louisa was left home to run the household with only the help of her sick mother and her sisters. At this time she was also pregnant with her first child who was born in 1862. All three brothers and Williamson survived the war. The family continued to live in Alabama following the Civil War. Since the mid-1900s, some branches of the family have spread out while some continue to live in Alabama. This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project. |
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Mitchell, Phil F. |
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Mitchell, Phil F. |
| id |
AUfmw0136 |
| url |
http://content.lib.auburn.edu/u?/fmw01,36 |
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https://cdm17353.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/fmw01/id/36 |
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1705449246255218688 |
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1861-07-30: Phil F. Mitchell to Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, LetterThis document is a letter from Phil F. Mitchell to his mother Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell, written from camp near Norfolk, Va., on July 30, 1861. He discusses his recent illness, his romantic difficulties, and his sister's recent engagement. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the Virginia colony in the early 1700s. Over time, the family moved from Virginia through the Carolinas and into Georgia before finally settling in Line Creek, Alabama and Verbena, Alabama. Several members of the family were active politically including William Fitzpatrick, who served in the Georgia legislature, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who served two terms as governor of Alabama. Sarah Fitzpatrick, a descendant of this family, married Columbus White Mitchell who was from a prominent Alabama family. The couple had ten children, seven of whom survived infancy. Three of their sons served in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy (Phil F. Mitchell, Joseph A. Mitchell, and Columbus White Mitchell). Their daughter Mary Louisa, a central figure of this collection, married Dr. Samuel "Trinley" Thomas Williamson in September 1861 shortly after the war began. Williamson was a medical doctor who also fought in the Confederate armed forces. With Williamson and the three Mitchell brothers away fighting, Mary Louisa was left home to run the household with only the help of her sick mother and her sisters. At this time she was also pregnant with her first child who was born in 1862. All three brothers and Williamson survived the war. The family continued to live in Alabama following the Civil War. Since the mid-1900s, some branches of the family have spread out while some continue to live in Alabama. This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project. [page 1]
Intrenched Camp July 30th 1861
My Dear Mother
I received your letter
yesterday & hasten to answer it. I was so proud
to get a letter from you & to hear that you
were able to ride & had improved so much. I
received a letter from Brother Joe last week &
answered it immediately. he gave me all the news
bout the crops & the neighborhood. I expect you all
got severel letters from here last mail. I have
written three or four since I had the measles for
fear you would all be uneasy bout us. I have
almost recovered from them had a cough at first
& bowels slightly affected but I feel as well now
as ever. only I have fallen off some ten or 12
pounds. I think I will improve from this out
Tobe & Ben & Mr Littlepage are doing finely.
Ben has stood the racket better than any of us
I am glad you enjoyed your visit to Mt. Meigs
I knew you would I received a letter from Cousin
Bettie a day or two ago. it was a right long one
[page 2]
and I enjoyed it. I think it helped to improve
me. I was right home sick. felt weak & bad from
being sick so much. but I dont allow my self
to feel so often. at night when I am thinking
bout my Dear Mother Sisters & Brothers & Dewhurst
too it steals on me unawares. but I shake it off
and think how pleasant twil be to meet them
all again & have those merry happy days over
[scratched out: ag] these are [illegible] castles though that I am famous
for building. I tell you Mother Ive seen many a
noble ediface of the kind topple to the dust since I
left you all. that two may go by the board. I may
never be allowed the privilege of seeing you all again
or if I do may return a war broken soldier
but if accomplished [dodging ?] will avail any
thing I will for my Mothers sake if nothing else
come home again all right. You say you think
Betsy loves me two & from what you can hear
we are engaged. I think you are mistaken its a
Pensacola boy she expects from the wars & thats
why she is making so many fine clothes, and as
far as its ever affecting me in any way is concerned
you and have no fear I never set my heart on any
thing when I am a thousand miles from it. though
[page 3]
I two think she is a sweet & noble girl. I think
cousin Josie is two. perhaps I am more interested
in her. I think she would suit me in my situation
in life better than my cousin. Capt. Andrews has
just returned from Montgy I am disappointed
in not hearing from you all or getting a letter. I
thought he would be certain to see somebody from Line
Creek. tell Uncle Clem I have written to him twice
once by Jim [Brame ?] as he went to Montgy &
once while I was in the Hospital. Tobe & myself
in the same envelope. tell him he knows or ought
to that I think more of him & allways have from
my infancy up to the present time than any body
I know who my best friend is, and if I didnt
write to him first twas not because he was last
in my memory. I will write him a long letter as
soon as I har from him. I intend to write to Cousin
Mary. M. two as soon as possible Ive been sick so
much since I got here that I havent written half
the letters I wanted to. My best love to her when you
see her. & Cousin Ken Harrison too give him & Cousin
Clem my best love. I wont say any thing bout the
wars I know you will all see papers & get the
news before you as this letter. at the great Battle of
[page 4]
Mannassas the defeat & route of the Yankees was
complete. they will have to reorganize their army & twil
take them until faul to do it. so I dont expect we
will have any more big fights until October. they
speak of moving our Regt. some where up in the
western part of Virginia perhaps to Manassas but
the report has been here so often. I wont believe
it until we are ordered to take our Tents down
as a general thing I have a dull time here so much
of a sameness bout it we have some splendid music
at night though vocal & on all kinds of instruments
letters from my [missing section: friends ?] at [missing section]
iously looked for. its a perfect treat to read them
I have received a letter from Mrs. Wells & answered
it. I wrote to her before I got here. I am sorry
she has left you all. I know you & Sister will
miss her. tell Dr Williamson I have written to
him he must write to me often. tell him I felt
badly when I wrote to him I will do better for
him the next time. Tell Sister it makes me
feel badly to think of her marrying any body
perhaps a feeling of jealousy. that any body
else should hold a place in her heart above
"mine". You know I love my Sis & have her
[page 5]
her happiness at heart. may her choice be a wise
one. I am sorry I cant be there. I will come if I
can get a furlough though the chances are very much
against it now. seven days are all a private is allowed
& hard to get that to go out of the State. I dont
expect to see you all again until I have served
my time out. perhaps never. but thats a long
time. tell Joe I dont want him to come but I
wrote him all bout it. he must build a crib
to house his corn it will spoil to house it in
those pens again & a negro cabbin or two they
[missing section] old [missing section] Mother I have
written but every thing that will interest you give
my love to Auntie & Cousin Fannie & Sallie tell
Sallie I will write to her in a day or two. love to
Aunt Cilia Clem in fact to all my kin folks &
friends. love to all the children. tell White I
will answer his letter soon & know my dear Mother
that you have the heart felt prayres of your
boy for your recovery & happiness
Phil F. Mitchell
tell Sophy John Eady is well I see him every
day is getting on very well1861-07-30Mitchell, Phil F.Mitchell Family; Alabama--Social life and customs--19th century; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Correspondence; Letters; Medicine--History--19th century; Peoples -- Military Life; Government & Politics -- Military; History -- 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction; Peoples -- Domestic Life;Norfolk, Virginia, United States1861-07-30Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Family Papers, 1850-1989, Auburn University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives, Auburn University, Auburn, AlabamaRecord Group 1223, Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Papers, Folder 225 pages, 21 cmengAuburn, Ala. : Auburn University LibrariesThis image is the property of the Auburn University Libraries and is intended for non-commercial use. Users of this image are asked to acknowledge the Auburn University Libraries. For information about obtaining high-resolution copies of this and other images in this collection, please contact the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Department at archives@auburn.edu or (334) 844-1732.Stillimage; Text;1861-07-30_MitchellPF_to_MitchellSF_letterapplication/pdfDeeply RootedAuburn University Librarieshttp://cdm17353.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/fmw01/id/36 |