Last month's installment ended with the Regiment encamped near Kinston, North Carolina Lenoir Co
Campe Macgruder May the 17th 1862
Dear Cousen, I the plesher of writin a few line to let you now that I am well at this time and truly hoping when thees few lines Com to your hand. tha may fine you and famley in good helth.
I receive your leter Som week a go and was glad to her from you and to her that you and Tom {illegible} got safe and sound all well. I hav nothing grate to write to you at this time, onley I would be glad to See you and all the famley. the fite that you thought would Com off So Soon when you was down her hante now nire than when you was her. moste all the men has lefte her and gon to richmond (1). the hante nun her but our brigade (2), and I exspect hit will leav too.
our pickets and them hav a fite: ever now and then. Col. Z. B. Vance has got his Cominstion to make up a leageon and take our Rig with him (3), and if he dois that we will git oute from under olde Ranssom cond found him.
tha is a heape of sickness her in Campe now. tha has bin three of our boys dide this week and a grate meny more Sick. Leander Brown, H C Kincaid, Hary Cook (4) has dide this week, and I think the a boute forty of our Compney sick now. Brother Thomas is very low but not as bad off as Som of the reste of the boys. Eli, G. I. Powell, J.A. Turtle (5) is well at this time
we have move Sence you was down her. we air Camped in Site of Kinston, and I will tell you wher I am now. I am at the raile. road bridg below Kinston a guarding hit, write to mee Soon if you plese, So nomore at this time only I remain your absence Cousen untill deth.
From T. W. Setser to W.A. Setser
1. All Confederate troops available were being moved to the vicinity of Richmond to oppose McClellan.
2. The 26th N.C. had been assigned to General Robert Ransom's Brigade, consisting at thi� ti?? of the 7th N.C., 26th N.C., 27th N.C., and 35th N.C. Ransom. was considered by the troops to be something of a martinet.
3. Vance attempted to raise a Legion, a mixed organization of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Governor Clarke, a political foe, forbad it and the project came to naught, although some. man who may have enlisted for the Legion ended up in the 58th N.C.' .
4. Leander Brown, of Caldwell County, enlisted in company F at age 23, July 15, 1861. He dies in Kinston of disease on May 14, 1862. Harry H. Cools, also of Caldwell, enlisted at age 22, October 14, 1861. He dies in Kinston of disease on May 15, 1862. H.C. Kincaid resided in Burke County, but enlisted In Company F, age 18, on July 15, 1861. He died of disease an May 17, 1862.
5. For vital information on these individual: see "The Setser Letters ‑ Part I"
Camp McGruder Near Kinston
May the 31 st 1862
Dear Farther and Mother, brothers and Sisters, i now take the pleasure of riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, and hope theas few lines may find you ingoying the Same State of health.
i have nothing of much importance to rite at this time, only i wood like to see you and the rest of the neighbors. i received your letter the 28 of this month, which gave me much joy to hear from you all, and to hear that you was well.
you wanted to Something about uncle tom. i saw him the day before be died. be never talked to me any a tall, be was so weak that be coudent talk. be told me about a a week before be died that he was a going to die. i Saw him Saturday and Sunday before be Died and i thought then that be wood die. i ast for a furlow for him, but could not get any. be wanted to come home very bad, but he dident say any thing about his property or folks.
i have no more nuse to rite at this time, only the yankes is supposed to be faling back from Richmond. i think we will go to Richmond in a few days. i would like to go their. General Jackson is cuting his way through the North Western part of Virginia. we have no nose from Corinth in Mississippi.
the rest of the Bois is all well. Mat Crump and tom and Neal is, and tom Setser is all well and well Satisfied. Thomas Setser is trying to hire a substitute. i wood like to come home to See you all, but their is no chance i could get to come home and Stay about a ,month, and then i wood haft to go to Some other company and come in as a conscript, and before i do that i will always Stay in the army.
i expet to Stay in this war tele it eaneds. if i die in this war, i wunt to die in defence of the Confederate States. i will haft to Stop riting now for the want of time. their is not as much {illegible} in the Regment as their was a while back. give my respects to all the neigbors. i want you to rite to me as. Soon as you get this leter, for i am always ancious to hear from you. So no more at present, but Remains your affectionate Son until Death. Rite Soon.
W. E. Setser to W. A. Setser
Camp McGruder near Kinston
June the 14th 1862
Dear father and mother, brothers and Sisters, i now take the oppertunity of Riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time and hope theas few lines may find you ingoying the Same State of health.
i have nothing of much importance to Rite at this time. i wood be glad to See you all. I Received your leter the 13th of this, which game me much Sattisfaction to hear from you, and to her that you was well.
we ar Staing at the Rail Road Bridge across the River. we have hen hear a week. we ar going to leave heer to morow. Our Regment has mouved Since we have on picket some eight miles above Kinston. we have not gone to Richmond yet. i dont think we will go Shortly.
it is thought that Burnside wood attack heer then attack Richmond. let him come we will meat him on the half way ground.
you Rote to me that you bad a box for me and Tom. i wood be glad to get it. we haft to cold bacon and bread to eat tele i am geting tired of it. the bois is generaly well. their is Some Sick in our company.
the river has hen up very hie for the last week. it has spoilt lots of corn. the corn crops look fine. their is Some of the best oits hear that i ever Saw. the folk is going over their corn the third time. their is field that contains bout 75 achers of land. the corn all over the field is as high as a mans head.
their may be Some chance for me to come born after while. i was sory to hear that your wheat was so bad. i wood like to come home to help you cut your wheat and help to thresh it. i will haft to stop Riting i want you to Rite to me as Soon as you get this leter. Mat and tom Send their best respecte to you. Mat says you must Rite to him. i dont think their is any prospect of a fight hear. i want you to Send that box, as i want you to Rite Soon and direct your leter to Mosley Hall. So no more at present, But Remains your affectionate Son until Death.
W. E. Setser .
Campe Johnson June 17 1862
Dear Cousen,
I wonts more Seat my Self to drop you a few lines to let you now that I recive those few lines you Sente mee, and was glad to her from you and to her that you all was well and doing well. I am well at this time and truly hoping when thees few lines Com to your hand tha may fine you all well and dooing well.
I hav nothing of eny grate intrust to write to you at this time, only I would like to Corn home and See you all, but I Cante tell ou when I will git to Com home, but I hope before long, for I wante to See the folds of Caldwell moste as bad as I ever wanted to See eny .Body. and Speshly the girls on lore Creek, but whether I will ever See eny of them, I cant tell. but I hope I will return home Soon and See Mizs Ramson and those other girls that is on lore Creek. I think if my Self and Eli {"Eli" is W. E. Setser} was thair with them we Couda had Som fun with them. D. M. C. writs that hee has lots of fun with them, and I think if hee Can hav fun a most eny body els Couda hav Som fun too. But not braging on my Self all to gether, but my Self and friends. tell the girls not to fancy D. M. C. too mutch untill my Self and Eli Com home, for tha never Seen good looken men untill tha See us. tell them that is ruther a braging, but I Cante belpe hit.
but I donte ceair So mutch a boute Coming home now as I did a while back. a bout too monts a go l wanted to Com home very bad, but I am purty well Sadisfide now.
we was oute on picket laste week and got acquainted with Som of the girls down her. we hante had eny fite her, and now hope of won. all things air Still all around her now, and has bin for Som time, all tho you thought we wouda have a fite her Soon when you was down her.
we hav lefte Kinston and all the briggade have moved up the rail road nine miles towards gates borough {Goldsboro}. tha air Som fore a five Rig {Regiments} her, and Can her all ther drums beat from our Campe. the Camping is in beter helth now than hit has bin in too monts before. tha hante but fore or five men in the horse pitle. I Cant tell wher we will go the nesc time, but I think we will keep Coming up the Cuntry untill we git home.
So direct your leter mosley tall to Lenoir Co 26 Rig Co F. tell all the girls and friends howdy for mee. So write Soon if you plese, and let mee her from you as now more at this time, only I remain your absence Cousen untill deth.
From Thomas W. Setser to W.A.Setser
[editor]On June 19 the 26th N.C. entrained for Petersburg, arriving on June 21. Here Ransom's Brigade was reorganized, now consisting of the 24th N.C., 25th N.C., 26th N.C., 35th N.C., and 48th N.C. On June 24 the Regiment was ordered to Richmond, where it joined General Benjamin Huger's Division on the Williamsburg road. The Regiment was under fire on several occasions during the last days of June.
Camp near Richmond
June the 28th 1862
Dear father and mother, brothers and Sisters, i now take the pleasure of Riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, and hope thees few lines may find you ingoying the Same State of health.
i have no nuse to Rite to you. we have moved since i Rote to you before. we ar staying in about four miles from Richmond. our Brigade is on Picket now. we have had Some very hard Skermish fights Sinch we have been heer. their was severl kild and wonded in our Regment, but non in our compney. We was on picket yesterday. we wer in one hunderd yards of the yankes all day yesterday. i am perty surtain that i kild a yankey. they ar skermish fighting a going on now. i will haft to stop Riting now for the want of time. i want you to Rite to me as Soon as you git this leter, and Direct your leter to Richmond va in the care of Colonel Vance, Comp F 26 Reg NC troops.
i think their will Bee a larg fight hear in a day ar too. their is Something about two hunderd thousand men heer and more a coming evry day.
W. E. Setser
[editor] Three days after Eli wrote the letter above the 26th N.C. participated in Lee's ill conceived attack at Malvern Hill, suffering about 80 casualties. The Regiment moved to Drewry's Bluff on July 7.
Camp Near Drury Bluff
July the 16th 1862
Dear father and Mother. Brothers and Sisters, i now take the pleasure of Riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, and hope thees few lines may find you ingoying the Same Blesing.
i have nothing of much importance to Rite to you at this time. we have bad a very hard time Since we come to virginia till now. we have got our tents. we ar camped in half a mile of Drufes Bluff sevn miles from Richmond.
we have had some very hard fiting to do Since we come heer . las tuesday was a weak a go we was in a very hard fite. their was lots of our men kild. i think the yankey los was greater than ours. they faut a long time. horses any a mount was kild. i went over the Battle field the next day, it was a terable Sight to see, mens arms and legs and head shot of. they we a lying on won another. Some was Shot all to peases with canon Balls. the horses was ling thick.
their was forty five in our Reg kild and wonded. James Bradford (1) was Shot through the thumb, wade fileps (2) was Shot through the thigh. Mat Crump (3) was Shot a little. But it is well long a go. their was seven others in the compares said they was wonded by a Spent. Shell, they havent got me yet, But they come mity near it, i think i put an end to Some of the Scoundrels.
we had to March about five days through the heat and dust. the dirt in the roads was from four to five inches deep, and but little to eat. i think we will stay hear a while, we have lots of work to do in making Brest works (breastworks).
tom and J A Tuttle and George Powell is well, the Soldiers in our Regment is generaly well. we hav Routed the yankes from about Richmond. the opinion of our offisers is that Mac Clellan will come up the River and attack us, and land scater and come into Richmond as the { illegible.
i Saw L M Copening yesterday, he was well and harty. i see some of the Ruff an Ready Bois evr day, lawson seys he wood like to be at home to fly round the girls. i wood like to be be their my self a while. give all the girls and neighbors all my bes Respects. tell them i am as harty and healthy es i ever was. lawson Sends his Respects to you, and would be glad to get a leter from yon.
�you art to a saw the old twenty six Stand up to the yanke Scoundels. i wante you to Rite to me as Soon as you get this leter and give me all the nuse, for i am ancious to heer from you and how the folk is a giting a long. So no more But Remain your affectionate Son until Death.
i will Send you five Dollars in this leter. Bill Gather paid me ten Dollars the other Day.
procterCreek
W E Setser to W A S
Direct your leter to procter Creek Near Richmond in the care of Col Vance 26 Reg NC troops. Rite Soon.
1. Private James Bradford resided is Caldwell and enlisted in Company F at age 29 on March 20, 1862. Althrough shot through the thumb, be would die of the mound on August 6.
2. W. E. Phillips and his twin brother Joseph enlisted in Caldwell on March 20, 1862. Although be recovered from his wound at Malvern Hill, both he and his brother would be killed at Gettysburg exactly one year later, July 1,1863
3. James M. Crump enlisted in Caldwell on March 20, 1862, age 25.
Camp Near Drures Bluff July the 27 1862
Dear father and mother and Brothers, i now take pleasure of Riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, i hope theas few lines may find you well.
i havent much to Rite to you at this time. i sense you a leter about too week a go, and Sent you five Dollars in it, i will Send yon forty Dollars by Mr Moode, he is heir, he is going to preach to day at ten a clock.
their is not much talk of any fiting hear now. the yankes is still under cover of their Boats on James River, they have received large Reinforecements for the las two weeks.
ther is no prospect of peace in virginia. the way the pepol think peace will be mad is to whip the yankey Scoundrels, i tell you i kild Some of them in this fight, it think i lad a few in the Shaid, i am very Sustain i did.
i want you to Rite to me as soon as you get this leter. So no more at present, But Remains your affectionate Son an Direct your leter to proctres Creek. Rite Son.
i will not send that money, i have lone it to i N Copening to day, and has got his note and good {illegible}.
W E Setser
[editor] On July 29th the Regiment moved from Drewry's Bluff to Petersburg.
va Camp Near Petersburg
Aug the 8th 1862
Dear father and Mother, brothers and Sisters, i now take the pleasure of riting you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, and hope theas few lines may find you ingoying the Same State of health.
i have nothing of much importance to rite at this time, we have had some very hard marches Since i Rote to you, we ar camped a bout a mile from Petersburg on the South Side. i received your leter yesterday, and was very glad to hear from you all, i begin to think that you had quit riting to me.
their has hen Some very heavy canonading on the River this week. i dont think their will be much fiting done hear before October. i think the yankes is Preparing to try Richmond. we planted one hunderd and fifty {illegible} peaces with four Siege guns on the River to fire on the trans ports. they came up the .night after we got them fixed, their transports came up and we let loos on them, and i tell you their was husling. it is thought that they Sunk a couple.
the Bois is all well. i wood like to come home now to eat aples and peaches. we hate to eat crackers and fat meat, it is a hard way of serving the Lord.
John Tuttle is in the hospital, he has got the mumps. i wood like to have Some clothes, a pair of pantaloons and a Shirt. you can Send them By Sombody that is pasing Crops is the Best kind hear, their is the Best Wheat hear that i ever Saw. their is mity hot wether hear.
i have Rote you about all the nuse that we have in camp. this makes the third leter that i have Rote to you, and have reseived But one. give my best Respects to all the neighbors, tell Harriet to try and Rite to me. if you have no paper i can Send you Some, we have plenty. i will Stop Riting now. So no more, But Remain your affectionate Son.
W E Setser
Direct your leter to Petersburg va
Va Camp Near Petersburg
Aug the 18th 1862
Dear father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters, i now drop you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time and hope theas few lines may find you ingoying the Same health.
i have nothing much to Rite at this time. i Reseived your leter and was glad to hear from you, and to hear that you was all well. there is lots of Sickneys in our camp now. their is not many in our company that is sick. Matt Crump is perty Bad off, he is in the hospital a Petersburg.
Colonel Vance (1) left us yesterday morning. he dident like to leave much. he said
he wood do them more good as govoner than he wood if he was Colonel. he made us a very good Speech the nite Before be left.
Lt Colonerl Burguin is our Colonel, Capt. Steal is our Lutenant Colonel, and Capt Lane is our Major. Major Kennel has Resind and gone home. (2)
their is the Best wheat and corn crop hear that i ever saw. i was Sory to hear that corn and wheat was So Bad on loor Creek.
their is a talk of Brigade leaving hear. if we do go i dont no wheir we will go. a think if we leave hear we will go to Jacksons Army. McClellan is withdraing his forces from the River. it is thought that he will Reinforce pope in the valey of virginia. i dont think their will be much fiting Done hear Before October.
we ar working evry Day and Sunday too making Brest works and Rifle pits, tell Harriet that i will rite her a leter in a few days. i will Send you Some money the first chance. you can do as you think Best, you can loan it to Some on, or By a mule or too.
H C Courtney (3) has got Back, he is well and. well Satisfied.
we hafte to eat meat and old bread. chickens Sells at two Dollars a piece, watermellons at two and three Dollar a peace. you cant get nothing at any reasonable prise. H C Says the girls is fat and Sasy. i think this war will end Before long and i can ingoy some happy hours with Some of them. Give my Respects to all the neighbors. i will Bring my leter to a close. Rite to me as Soon as you get this leter. So no more, But Remains your affectionate Son. tell John Kelly that i am coimg home Some of theas times to whip him, for i now he is a mean Boy and i now he cant fite.
Direct your leter Petersburg
1. Vance of course had been elected Governor of NOrth Carolina, and thus resigned his commission as Colonel.
2. Eli is only partly accurate here. Lieutenant Colonel Burgwyn was elected Colonel, and Captain John R Lane of Company E, not Captain John Steele of Company B, was elected Lieutenant Colonel. Major James S. Kendall had resigned on July 21, 1862. The position of Major remained vacant until September 27, when Captain John T. Jones of Company 1 was appointed to that post. One immediate consequence of the elevation of 20 year old Burgwyn to Colonel was the transfer of the Regiment into the new Brigade commanded by James Johnston Pettigrew (11th N.C., 44th N.C., 47th N.C., 52nd N.C.). General Ransom had stated that he wanted no "boy Colonels" under his command. The transfer occured on August 26.
3. Private Henry Clay Courtney resided in Caldwell and enlisted at 18, July 15, 1861. He was wounded at Gettysburg, and apparently mortally wounded at Wilderness or Spotsylvania, dying on May 15, 1864.
[editor]The Regiment moved frequently in late August and early September, by returned to Camp French at Petersburg.
Camp Frenck near Petersburg Va
Sept the 24 1862
Dear father and Mother. Brothers and Sisters, i now take the pleasure of Droping you a few lines to let you now that i am well at this time, and hope theas few lines may find you injoying the same Blesing.
i Received your leter the other day while we was on the march, and was glad to hear from you, and to hear that you was all well,
we have Ben in twenty five miles of Suffolk, but ar now in camp. you wanted to no Somthing about Some money i Sent home. Carell Moore has got the money. i give the money to him to leave it at harpers, and he waid he wood to it. you can go to him and get the money. $40.00 was the amount.
we ar camped some four miles from Petersburg va. we think we will leave her before long. our forces has crost Back over the Potomack River. ever day Since our forces has Ben in Maryland has Ben five thousand {illegible}
D M Coperning (1) is kild. i was very sory to hear it, he had Both of his legs Shot off By a canon Ball at Manases. Dan Courtney has got to camp, and Some of the other Bois. Thom Setser has never come. the Bois is generaly well.
i will nead no more clothing this winter, only a pair of Socks. we to camp yesterday evening after a long march. till uncle Bill he mite stade till i could a Seen him. i will Bring my leter to a close. Rite to me as Soon as you git this leter. So no more. give all the neighbors my love and Respecks. Rite Soon, fer i am always ancious to heer from you all.
W. E. Setser
1. D. M. Corpening resided in Burke County and enlisted in Company F, age 17, July 15, 1861. He was discharged "under the provisions of the Conscription Act on May 1, 1862". He was probably discharged because he was underage, having likely misstated his age at enlistment. He evidently enlisted in a North Carolina Regiment that fought at 2nd Manassas, although he is not listed on the rosters of any of them.
Campe Friench ner Petersburg
Oct the 8th 1862 .
Dear Cousen, i Seats my Self to drop you a few lines to lete you now that I am a live and and well at this presente time, and truly hoping when thees few lines Com to your hand tha may fine you and famly well and dooing well.
i have nothing of eny intruste to write to you at this time, onley I would like to See you all won time more, but I Cante tell you when I will, but I hope before long for I am tired of Campelife.
I got to the Rigment on wensday after I lefte home on monday and found all the boys well, exsept Gorge Powell and he is improveing Som what. now we only got one hundred twenty five men at laste after So tong a Staf. I fetch Joe threw Safte to the Rigt and he is her in our Company now. (1)
I hapen with bad luck with boxes. I loste them. I fetch them on to Raleigh, and then had to put them on a mail trane and Couden go on it my Self. I had to go on a nother train, but Collete and Fleming (2) was on the train that the boxes was on, and tha Said tha would hav them taken Cair of when tha got to wldon {Weldon}, .but that never look fore them when tha got thair. and when I got thair I Coulden fine them, and I thought tha had taken them on, but tha haden and So I hante Seen them.
tha woulden lete mee go back to git them, and I tride to git that damd Fleming to go after them, and be wouden go. I tole him that I would pay all exspence if he would go, and be woulden at tall, and a damber Shit ass than him never was than him and that damd bill is. an he hante worth hells room. he lays in his tente all day. you Cante see him outs of his tente with oute he goes to the doctor. I wants you to tell bob that I Said he mite go to hell and be god damd, and the nex thing I aske him to doo he will do it for mee. I wouden doo a thing fer him to Sav him from hell.
we have bin on pickets won week Since I Cam backt at Sitz pointe {City Point} on James river. the yankees has had posesion of it. that tore the houses all to pices with bumb Shells, and it is a lonsom place.
tha is a talk of Col Z B Vance a taken us to North Carolina, but .I cante tell you how true it is, but I hope he will. he is gon to See the presidente a boute it. we air in three miles of Petersburg at this time, and the helth of the Company is purty good now. all the boys off lore creek is well, So write Soon and giv mee all the nuse. So nomore at this time, only I remain your Cousin until deth.
From T. W. Setser to Mr. W. A. Setser
1. This possibly refers to a black servant.
2. Sergeant Orlando Collett transferred to the 58th N.C. the following winter. Private James Fleming died of disease on April 20, 1863.