Submitted by Teresa Saville Matern; Transcriptions by Cheri Todd Molter
(Note from submitter: I have several others and when I get the time I will send the information. It’s good history.)
Andrew J. Dooling was from Macon County, GA, and he enlisted in the Confederate army on May 16, 1862, as a Private. He served in Company K of the Georgia 62nd Partisan Cavalry.
On December 30, 1862, Dooling was stationed at Weldon, NC, and wrote the following letter to his mother, Mary H. Dooling, and his brother. He died of disease on February 25, 1865.
(click letter to enlarge)
Transcription of Original:
State of North Carolina
Weldon december the 30th day 1862
deare Mother i take My pen in hand to let yo Now that i am well at this time hoping the few lines May find yo all well and doing well i will tell yo that Brother Mike Came By to see Me [before] he went Back to his comping he brelt me a p- of cloes and i was glad for i Need them he stayed with Me 1 day and Nite he was well so I will tell yo that past – of nites hard but we think it will Be lite Now for thar is a Reg Mint come here to help us gard the Brige. So i am well plesed at this place to stay here to the end of the ware if i can so i will tell yo Brother yo must Be a good Boy unto i Come home and if i dont N-y come home to see yo i hope to see yo when i git to heaven so i will tell that this Reg Mint has Bin in some 3 or 4 fight now But this comping Not Bin in No fight yet and i hope it will Not Be in No fight at toll i cannot git to Com home yet But i hope that i will git to Come home in 2 or 3 month to stay so we got good guns at last Brother yo must take good care of my [Colt] so Nothing More at this time But I Remain your son unto death
Transcription with Modern Spelling and Punctuation:
State of North Carolina
Weldon, December the 30th day 1862
Dear Mother, I take My pen in hand to let you know that I am well at this time, hoping these few lines May find you all well and doing well. I will tell you that Brother Mike Came By to see Me [before] he went Back to his company. He brought me a p- of clothes, and I was glad, for I Need them. He stayed with Me 1 day and night. He was well. So, I will tell you that past [ — ] of nights hard but we think it will Be light Now, for there is a Regiment come here to help us guard the Bridge. So, I am well pleased at this place to stay here to the end of the war if I can. So, I will tell you Brother, you must Be a good Boy until I Come home and if I don’t [Necessarily?] come home to see you, I hope to see you when I get to heaven. So, I will tell that this Regiment has Been in some 3 or 4 fights now. But this company Not Been in No fight yet, and I hope it will Not Be in No fight at all. I cannot get to Come home yet, But I hope that I will get to Come home in 2 or 3 months to stay. So, we got good guns at last. Brother, you must take good care of my [Colt]. So, Nothing More at this time, But I Remain your son until death.