Abbeville is doing her duty manfully in providing troops for the great struggle. She has four companies in Virginia, and two companies in Col. Orr’s Regiment. A Cavalry company has been organized and accepted and an Infantry Company under Capt. Jay, with 90 men, elected their officers on Tuesday last. The formation of four or five other companies is in progress, and with the most encouraging prospects. At this rate she will soon have one tenth of her white population in the field. Can any other District beat this? “Hang out our banners on the outward walls, The cry is still they come!”
The Abbeville Press, Abbeville, SC
Abbeville has quite a history. This article brings to mind one of the best books about soldiers from Abbeville: “The Boys of Diamond Hill: The Lives and Civil War Letters of the Boyd Family of Abbeville County, South Carolina, 2d ed.” edited by J. Keith Jones, 2023. Quite a different story than the more typical elegies to dashing, wealthy sons of planters. This book is gripping, pulling you into the lives of humble soldiers from a poor family.
Thanks, Lisa! One thing I’m fascinated by are the letters from the soldiers published in newspapers. I’m interested to see how the tone changes over the course of the war. So far, they are very much eager for the struggle, etc. I have a feeling that changes soon enough!
A very cool collection to gather up – letters from Civil War soldiers that appeared in newspapers. Some will be letters sent to parents, which the family then shared with the newspapers (like the letter I showed you). This happened often in the early stages of the war when everyone back home was eager for any news they could get.
Others will be letters sent directly to the newspapers from the men in the field, special correspondents. Sometimes this arrangement was set up before the regiments left for “the seat of war.”