Submitted by Sid Stroupe and Mike Stroupe; Introduction written by Cheri Todd Molter
These are letters written by Levi McCasin to his brother and his wife. He was a husband, father, brother, and soldier who was obviously concerned with how things were being handled back at home while he was stationed at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, North Carolina, where thousands of Confederate troops were trained. The camp encompassed the grounds now occupied by the state fairgrounds, N.C. State University Faculty Club, School of Veterinary Science and the N.C. Museum of Art.
Here are the letters he sent to his brother and his wife:
Camp Mangum
Near Raleigh, N.C.
January 2nd [1862]
Very much respected brother,
I take the opportunity of writing to inform you that I am well at this writing hoping that this may find you as it leaves me. Dear sir, in regard to your inquiring about my farm, I am perfectly willing for you to take charge of my farm and tend it but I want very much to plow my ground or as much of it as it can. This and no other arrangement will suit me at all. I want my farm tended on as cheap a scale as possible for poor people must plan cheap. I am not willing to rent my ground out at all. But if I have to rent any, I will rent all together and if so, I will give you further instructions hereafter. You know I told you to sow the oats. I aim for you to do that, but the corn ground. If I rent any, I will rent all together.
Yours Respectfully
Levi McCasin
My Dear Wife,
I am well and well satisfied and I hope you are too. I received a small letter from you some time since which was very satisfactory to me to hear from you that you were all well and doing well. Well, my dear wife, I want somebody to stay with you that will take the children to church every chance. It seems from information received that there is some dissatisfaction about who is staying with you. I want no one to stay that will learn the children to tattle and talk too much. I want them raised right. To tattle and black gard [blackguard] in the presence of children is shocking for them and I do not wish that done at all. So I close by asking you all to write to me as soon as you get this.
Levi McCasin to Wife and family