4th South Carolina Cavalry & Hampton's Legion

Item CON-8095

Description

2 pages, original Confederate letter written in period ink and war dated. (Calhoun is the Grandson of the Southern statesman John Caldwell Calhoun). During the war he served with the Hampton's Legion, 10th Battalion South Carolina Cavalry and the 4th South Carolina Cavalry.


Camp near Grahamville

June 22nd 1862

J. E. Hagood, Esq.

Dear Sir,

I take the liberty of asking a little favor of you. Of which I will be very much obliged. I see by the papers that Colonel Preston has ordered the conscripts to report on the first of next month at the Court Houses of the respective Districts and to report in Columbia the 8th. If you will mention to them at Pickens that I want 15 good men with horses. I will be much obliged. I will meet them in Columbia on the 8th and for them to report to Colonel Preston as volunteers for my company. We are getting on very well at present and only have one or two cases of sickness.

We returned yesterday from quite a brilliant little exploit on Lemon, which is the first excitement we have since the fight at Pocotaligo. But unfortunately, the enemy heard we were coming and left a short time before we got over. We burned a large quantity of corn and fodder, all the houses and destroyed everything we could get our hands on. The enemy had a fine cornfield, watermelon patch and fruit of every description. All finely cultivated.

Yours truly,

John C. Calhoun