“Until Death Will Take Us Home” (Confederate Letter)
“Until Death Will Take Us Home”
Pvt. George. H. Beckel (Confederate)
Near Gordonsville, VA
August 5th, 1862
33rd North Carolina, Co. G
August 5th 1862
Dear Wife and Daughter,
I not take this pleasant opportunity to inform you that we are all well and are doing well at this time. We have plenty to eat at this time and my health is improving. I think if I get plenty to eat and have no other bad luck that I will get along. We have a good crowd. I hear more singing and praying than I expected to here while I would be out we are and I believe that there are many good people with the conscripts.
They have moved us out a few miles from Gordonsville in the country to drill and we are cleaning up our camp today and we will go to drilling tomorrow. We have fell into the 33rd Regiment under Col. Hoke’s 1 Company G. He seems to be a tolerable, fine man and those that are under say that he is a very fine man though the finest is rough enough.
We don’t hear much war news here. There are skirmishes throughout this country almost every day and they expect a large battle about Richmond every day. And some say that this war is bound to end soon. They say that they will leave us here four weeks to drill but I don’t know whether they will or not. I have gave up to all on earth for his time. I have bit little uneasiness about home and try to be as easy as you can for I know if you keep well and have no bad luck, you will have plenty to eat. And I heard that David Rominger would make your shoes and that Nancy was coming to stay with you. Do the best you can. I am here about four hundred miles from home and you are there but we can do no better now and I am better contented than I ever expected to be away from home.
Tell G. Millers that the boys are well and we are divided out and did not get in the same company but in the same regiment. Me and John are together as it happened we were called out and divided out as we come so there was no choice of company. I want you to write to me as soon as you get this and write how you are getting along and write how Sarah is getting along and do all you can to help her stay cheered up. Tell her that maybe Papy will come home again and then perhaps we will never have to part again until death will take us home.
When you write to me, tell how you are getting along drying fruit and whether you got any wood hauled. Peter Tice told me that he would haul for you whenever you would let him know. Try and get some of the neighbors to haul for you and don’t expose yourself so as to injure your health. Try and take as good care of yourself as you can and love the Lord. Never cease praying to God that we may meet again. Write to me as soon as you can and tell Crews’ to write and write how those men fared that stayed.
Direct your letter to G. H. Beckel, Gordonsville, 33rd Regiment North Carolina troops, Company G, in care of Col. Hoke
From G. H. Beckel
to A. S. Beckel
_______________________________________
Biography:
Private. George Hiram Beckel was born in 1829 in North Carolina in Forsyth County and was 33 when he enlisted in the 33rd North Carolina Infantry, Co G.
You can tell that the tides of war were pulling all sorts of young men from his home to fight as he mentions in this letter that a lot of the boys from town got split up between different units. Luckily, George’s brother, John W. Beckel, was placed in his same unit.
This letter is written towards the beginning of the war, but the unit had already been in a few notable battles such as New Bern in North Carolina and the Seven Days Battles. At New Bern, Company G would lose a lieutenant (William H Massey) as well as Colonel (C. M. Avery).
This letter writing home talks about the skirmishing that takes place in Virginia on almost a daily basis and the whispers that there is going to be a big battle in Richmond. There would be plenty of large battles right outside the city, but fighting/capture of Richmond would happen in 1865.
George misses his family and prays that he will see them again, but you can tell that he is worried like most soldiers at the time. He has seen things that make him question people/humanity. Sadly, later on that same year, Pvt George Hiram Beckel would get pneumonia and pass away on Christmas Eve 1862 in Richmond, VA. His brother would also pass away from disease January 1st, 1863.
Disease ran rampant during the Civil War because so many people were within close proximity of each other and were exposed to the elements. It is hard to imagine the living conditions that were a daily reality for these soldiers.
“Until Death Will Take Us Home”
Pvt. George. H. Beckel (Confederate)
Near Gordonsville, VA
August 5th, 1862
33rd North Carolina, Co. G
August 5th 1862
Dear Wife and Daughter,
I not take this pleasant opportunity to inform you that we are all well and are doing well at this time. We have plenty to eat at this time and my health is improving. I think if I get plenty to eat and have no other bad luck that I will get along. We have a good crowd. I hear more singing and praying than I expected to here while I would be out we are and I believe that there are many good people with the conscripts.
They have moved us out a few miles from Gordonsville in the country to drill and we are cleaning up our camp today and we will go to drilling tomorrow. We have fell into the 33rd Regiment under Col. Hoke’s 1 Company G. He seems to be a tolerable, fine man and those that are under say that he is a very fine man though the finest is rough enough.
We don’t hear much war news here. There are skirmishes throughout this country almost every day and they expect a large battle about Richmond every day. And some say that this war is bound to end soon. They say that they will leave us here four weeks to drill but I don’t know whether they will or not. I have gave up to all on earth for his time. I have bit little uneasiness about home and try to be as easy as you can for I know if you keep well and have no bad luck, you will have plenty to eat. And I heard that David Rominger would make your shoes and that Nancy was coming to stay with you. Do the best you can. I am here about four hundred miles from home and you are there but we can do no better now and I am better contented than I ever expected to be away from home.
Tell G. Millers that the boys are well and we are divided out and did not get in the same company but in the same regiment. Me and John are together as it happened we were called out and divided out as we come so there was no choice of company. I want you to write to me as soon as you get this and write how you are getting along and write how Sarah is getting along and do all you can to help her stay cheered up. Tell her that maybe Papy will come home again and then perhaps we will never have to part again until death will take us home.
When you write to me, tell how you are getting along drying fruit and whether you got any wood hauled. Peter Tice told me that he would haul for you whenever you would let him know. Try and get some of the neighbors to haul for you and don’t expose yourself so as to injure your health. Try and take as good care of yourself as you can and love the Lord. Never cease praying to God that we may meet again. Write to me as soon as you can and tell Crews’ to write and write how those men fared that stayed.
Direct your letter to G. H. Beckel, Gordonsville, 33rd Regiment North Carolina troops, Company G, in care of Col. Hoke
From G. H. Beckel
to A. S. Beckel
_______________________________________
Biography:
Private. George Hiram Beckel was born in 1829 in North Carolina in Forsyth County and was 33 when he enlisted in the 33rd North Carolina Infantry, Co G.
You can tell that the tides of war were pulling all sorts of young men from his home to fight as he mentions in this letter that a lot of the boys from town got split up between different units. Luckily, George’s brother, John W. Beckel, was placed in his same unit.
This letter is written towards the beginning of the war, but the unit had already been in a few notable battles such as New Bern in North Carolina and the Seven Days Battles. At New Bern, Company G would lose a lieutenant (William H Massey) as well as Colonel (C. M. Avery).
This letter writing home talks about the skirmishing that takes place in Virginia on almost a daily basis and the whispers that there is going to be a big battle in Richmond. There would be plenty of large battles right outside the city, but fighting/capture of Richmond would happen in 1865.
George misses his family and prays that he will see them again, but you can tell that he is worried like most soldiers at the time. He has seen things that make him question people/humanity. Sadly, later on that same year, Pvt George Hiram Beckel would get pneumonia and pass away on Christmas Eve 1862 in Richmond, VA. His brother would also pass away from disease January 1st, 1863.
Disease ran rampant during the Civil War because so many people were within close proximity of each other and were exposed to the elements. It is hard to imagine the living conditions that were a daily reality for these soldiers.