"If I had thought then..."

Latest update: 11 October 2024 - gmc

Alexander Campbell, a member of the 79th New York Highlanders, was part of the Union Expeditionary force sent to capture Port Royal Sound. He remained in the area stationed in Beaufort until late July 1862. Letter 30 in 'Him on the One Side and Me on the Other': The Civil War Letters of Alexander Campbell, 79th New York Infantry Regiment and James Campbell, 1st South Carolina Battalion edited by Terry A. Johnston, Jr. (1999) was written by Sandy in Beaufort to his wife, Jane Ralston Campbell.

In Letter 30 he covers domestic and military topics, payroll issues, feelings of isolation, and a humorous event relating to a stained envelope. The creative spelling is by Campbell.

Beaufort, S.C.

May 12, 1862

My Dear Wife

I am most happy now because I heard from you. I thought you had forgot to write me altogether. I received your Letter of the 2d in dew time and was glad to hear you and the two boys was in such good health for thats the greatest blessing we can have. I only wish I was home so that I could feel happy. I know you would. But I am mostly shure it wont be a great while now. Thats the general opinion here and I trust in god that it will be so.

Jane its 12 mounths tomorrow since we swore in to go to the war. If I had thought then it would Last the one half of that time there would have been no swearing in of me. You may bet your Life it will be the Last war that I will go to. Its not because I am afraid but because I have too good a wife to Leave and two nise Little boys also.

I got the Letter you sent in the box to [da]y. Jammey brought it over. It was sent to him and he is over on Ladyes island with his company. They are over there on picket so him and mat was over in beuafort to day. He says that all the writing paper and invelops was spoiled with the mustard. The bottles had got broke. The envelope of my Letter was all covered with it. James said it Looked (well I wont say). You can guss what he would say it Looked Like. I only wish you had sent your Likeness out. I will only Look the more anxious for it nixt time. I know you must be scarce of money (its too bad). I have no idea when we will get our nixt pay. I hope it will be soon.

You say that [Brother] Peter seen Mcnie that ust to board with me in charleston. I would Like verry much to see him. He knows Brothers John & James verry well. He says [Brother] James is in the 15th infantry of S.C. I think I heard something of that regiment being over on the main but they are all gon from there now to strenthion some other place. I think he must be wishing he was out of it now. I wonder if he Knowes that I am here. I would Like to hear from Mcnie. Please tell [Brother] Peter the nixt time he sees hin to write to me and Let me Know how things is in charleston and about my old aquanteces.

It is my opinion our forces are preparing to attack charleston so our regiment might have a chance to go there. There was a flag of truse sent to savannah the other day asking them to surrender the city so I hear. They are willing to do so on conditions. I dont know what the conditions are. The southren people ought to see by this time that there case is hopeless and they s[h]ould surrender all and become good citizens of threre united states and Let us get home to our wives and families. We expect the nixt mail to hear of Mclellan being in Richmond. If he only could get hold of Jeff Davis and some more of the ring Leaders. They told the flag of truse that went to savannah that there was a fight going on at corinth for three days and it was still going on when the flag of truse Left there. All this might be false for there is all sorts of false reports out here. Its one of the greatest victories yet the taking of new orleans. I hope they will follow it up. I would Like to get some news papers. Tell [Brother] Peter I have not received any from him in some tim and I would Like him to send me some.

Jane I sent a Bible and a rattler for Little alexander. The Bible I got in one of the tents when we Landed on bay point. Lewis web the agutants clerk is gon on furlow. I sent them with him. I will come to a close this time hopping to hear from you soon. I am in good helth and I hope this will find you the same. Tell Jonney his papa will soon be home to take him out a walking. No more this time. Write soon.

          I Remain Your ever afficonate Husband Alexander Campbell 

Sandy would fight in the Battle of Port Royal Ferry, the Battle of Secessionville and the Battle of Chantilly where he was wounded. He was discharged from the Army in mid-May 1863. After his service, he became a stonecutter in Middletown, Connecticut.

Note: James Campbell was not in the South Carolina 15th Regiment as Sandy states but the 1st South Carolina drawn from the Charleston area. Before the Civil War, James had the Union Light Infantry, a largely Scottish volunteer military company. James immigrated to Charleston around 1854.

Alexander, though primarily living in New York, did work as a stonecutter in Charleston between 1857 to 1859. Alexander then returned to New York and married Jane.

In March 1862, James enlisted in the 1st South Carolina Infantry Battalion (also known as the "Charleston Battalion") and saw service at the Battle of Secessionville. He was captured during the unsuccessful Union assault on Battery Wagner. He spent the rest of the war in Northern prison camps. He returned to Charleston in mid-1865. He died in Charleston in 1907.

Make plans to attend the Beaufort History Museum's Encampment of the 79th New York Highlanders re-enactment group this weekend. Cassi will be there to share some of the BDC's handouts about Civil War and Reconstruction Era related materials in the Research Room and online. She's created a new display board about the connection between the 79th New York and the history of our Library to share.