Description:

MATTHEW W. RANSOM
(1826 - 1904) Confederate brigadier general who fought in the Seven days, Sharpsburg and Petersburg, wounded three times in the process. Superb content war-date A.L.S. as the new Colonel of the 35 North Carolina Infantry, 3pp., 4to., [Kinston], May 19, 1862, a highly optimistic letter to his wife. Ransom, known for his excellent leadership, first intimates details of his departure from the 1st North Carolina Infantry and hopes for his new post, in part: "...I will do my duty most faithfully by the soldiers who are under me. It is very gratifying to see the genuine affection of the officers and men of my old regiment for me. When I left there was hardly a dry eye in the regiment. As you will see, the officers subscribed $500 for a sword for me. They will have to send to Europe for a nice one as one cannot be had in the South... I shall get on much better here, for Col. Stokes was very jealous of me & threw a great many obstacles in my way. I am so happy though that I kept my duty steadily in view & stuck to it..." Ransom goes on to report news from his post and views on the war in general: "...We are some 35 miles from New Berne. Our pikets and the enemy's approach very closely. I will send you some Northern papers; we take prisoners and buy them almost daily. Tell Annie I see here plenty of the 'Yankees'. I can form no opinion of Burnside's plans. I cannot think however that you are in any danger, yet whenever you are I will surely be with you my best wife... I know this war cannot last much longer... The North must see they cannot conquer us. I still think we shall have peace in two or three months. It is impossible for the war to last much longer..." Several minor ink blots, else fine. Ransom's optimism would prove false, but his leadership skills would not: shortly after this letter he commanded at Malvern Hill and would see action on many more battlefields before surrendering at Appomattox.

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May 13, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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