Dear John Letter

[Subdeacon Joe]

Published this day, December 6th 1861, in the Richmond Daily Dispatch:

————————————————————————

A Spirited Letter from a Virginia Lady to a Lincoln Hireling

Camp Near Lewisburg, Regi'tal Headq'rs 16th Tenn. Vola., November 19, 1861.

Editors Dispatch: I here with send you a precise copy of a private letter taken from the person of one of the company of prisoners taken by Col. Savage , on the 11th September, in one of the valleys near Cheat Mountain. The letter should have appeared before the public at an earlier date, but had been misplaced and forgotten. The gentleman from whom it was taken declares himself a Kentuckian, was Sergeant in the company, and, were we to judge from the import of the letter, had been on very intimate terms with the young lady. The letter is getting a little ancient now; but its spirit shows the young lady to be one of the "True Blues," although she resides in Wheeling [West Virginia]:

LETTER

Wheeling, Va., August 14, 1861. 

Mr. W. B. McLane. - Sir:

By the reception of your letter I perceive that you are in the so-called Union army, in Western Virginia, where I trust you will receive that which every invader of Virginia's soil deserves. I would have you remember that I am a Virginian; and, if I were otherwise, my sense of right., truth, and justice, teaches me ever to recoil from one who has so far forgotten his manhood; so far forgotten that he was made after the image of his God, that he engage in the most horrible outrages — plundering, aye, murdering; for such every sensible person must regard the death of Gen. Garnett , whom you speak of. Cowards that you are, you know that it was not done in an honorable way, even had it been in a just cause; and so you make a great ado about murdering the brave Garnett, whose life was worth your whole army of hirelings And the prisoners you speak of: there are a few pent up here in Camp Carlyle. I presume they are like those captured by your company of outlaws.--They are not soldiers, but private citizens taken from their homes, families — yes, and one, an old gray-headed man, was taken from the cornfield where he was at work, and why? Oh! because he was a Secessionist. No, it was because he dared be a man and assert his rights; because, forsooth, "he did not toss high in the air his cap" and shout for the Union.-- the Union of white and black. As to dressing in the clothes of the Confederates to deceive them that would only be in conformity with your former acts, which have been so noble, so brane History does not furnish a parallel. No doubt, by such disguise you may be enabled to shoot a few more in the back, whom you have not the manhood to face. No, I presume I would not recognize you in the dress; for, I doubt not that I should gaze and wonder what manner of beast could have the presumption to don the attire of a gentleman.--From the contents and style of your letter, I presume you were not aware of my sentiments. This will enlighten you on that point; also, that all intercourse between us must cease from this time.

Yours, &c., 
P.

______________________________________________

Read here for more and have our news stories sent directly to your email to bypass censorship: richmonddailydispatch.substack.com

[Eyesa Horg]

Wow

[Pat Riot]

I wonder if she pulled up stakes when West Virginia became a Union state in 1863?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_West_Virginia

[Cypress Sun]

He became known as Sgt "Blue Balls" McLane after that letter.

[watab kid]

i feel she was quite clear of her sentiments - it amazws me that both did not know the others sentiments before this 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

It does appear she was............................................upset about his loyalty.

She seems to be a passionate supporter of the noble cause, in the war of Northern Aggression.

I wonder if you have her address, that I might call?

T.H. Gable, Pvt.

27 Georgia

CAS

Edited December 25, 2024 by Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474