Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-09-18
Afscting Letter from a Mother.

4A~Sb0
1 40 not kho" "ueH ~ tina
heart have been more strongly stirred than sert
when perusing the following letter, written ano
by a Mother whose son belonged to that por- am VI
ton OF the North Carolina army stationed at do,
Fort Hatteras. This noble Matron, on hear sto
ing of the Inflated capture of our troops by ter
Lincoln's hirelings, hurried towards the ~
scene of disaster to relieve the wants of her
son. rescue him, or die for him. The letter w
is addressed to her married daughter residing 81
in Edenton." If any one, especially any D
Mother. can read this letter without having $,
the tenderest feelings of the soul called into ii
lively exercise, they must have a heart more Il
obdurate than | wouldiike to possess: :,
ELM GROVE, Hartford Co., N. ca :
September 8, 1861. c
NY DEAR DAUGHTER: Il this night re- $
ce;ved Mr.. Bonds letter in which he sympa-
thized with us for the supposed capture and
loss of your brother for which we thank him.
will now give you a little history OF the ad-
ventures of the last two or three DAYS OF my
life Last Wednesday we heard q heavy
firing all day, and feared much from the di-
rection that it was at Hatteras. From Fri
dav nights !" Petersburg Express" we learned
that our fears were realized, and that Halter
"a had been taken by the enemy. AS we
!, could not hear the particulars, we hoped that
our loved one was safe, for we heard that a
. day or two before the fl ght, he went to New
bern to purchase provisions. Saturday nlght
g we heard that Captain Sharp had left the
: island. and was 20 miles away before the
q enemy got there, and that some of our sol
diers were on their way to MurfreeSboro,
70 where | = went early on Sunday morning, no
IS ping to see some of them and hear from your
- brother, but when | got there, | learned that
~ all | had heard the night before was false,
and that Mrs. Jester had received a letter
10 from her brother, Capt. Burbage, of the
Sea Bird,) stating that all the soldiers, Capt.
lie, Sharp's company included, were either killed,
he wounded or taken prisoners, and that the
- wounded were sent to Newbern, and thu
10 prisoners put in irons, and were then on ther
and way to New York, which you know mus
err have been very distressing to us, as Their
,;ca were many in the company who were dear
~ MS besides Alfred. | came home very muc
ln0 troubled, and had made up my mind befor
han got home, that if your father would con
in sent to it, | would start on Monday Tor New
bern. He at first seemed unwilling for n
to 90, as his health would not allow him
been 90 with me farther than the depot, and fea
that ing that | might fall into the hands of tt
. lit enemy, and said that he never expected
see me again if | went. | urged him to
ehoo me 90, and told him that 7 was not afraid
60 anywhere that my child was, he g
S~soI VIC faCIer or Wni
+ his was on the same mission with myself, a
, l. VINO seemed to have no hope of his child
We started from Boykin's at about Q o'clo,
f. ana as we went at a rapid speed. T for T
t Of nrst time, felt the value of TRAVELLING
lght. steam' and felt to thank God that He e,
Il IS created a man to invent a railroad. In a f
nours we were at Weldon where the tr;
.ther stopped. took up my satchel and started =
ana asked a gentleman which train I She,
nor take to Newborn. He pointed to one saw,
that one, madam" As | climbed up
ohu- steps and lala down my baggage. a Geor,
gton, soldier approached me and said that 4
farv. was the train to Wilmington. again 70
a. T. my satchei, descended the steps. and ash
another gentleman near, which train woI
one take me TO Newbern. He pointed me to I
is same one, saying it would take me as far
Goldsooro', whereupon, | entered the on ,
deposited my baggage, when I heard . va
poS say, " here is your child" felt a kind If
oun- wllderment | cannot describe. Rv the !;
mo- tnat TINS voice had died away. T hoard .
iaed other say, here is Alfredo H;S no,
seemed TO arouse me as if from sleen
turned and saw his tall form before me IN
tory Immense crowd. flew to him. and ecolI,
fu- as raised my right arm to put around
on nech' ! exclaimed, my lost, my dead boz
anve ana just then, at the top of nv vol,
rnnn uou ior MS protecting care and 4
st in cnllds almost miraculous escaDe. do =
l,ec. know what said until Mr.. Soutball laid ]
nand on my arm and said, BE ouiet "
.'eh- nave found your child, carry him bone1
here When came to myself | asked the neo,
paid 10 excuse me, for | had never heb. red
badly before, but the blessed Lord had no
30 eooa 10 me, when | thought that nv 3
age was elther dead or in irons, on his wav
more New York. l said, all you soldiers aron
tory Ia nHte motners or have had them, but "
probably don't know the anxiety tben =,
the tears had started to the ewes of man,
0oh- father VINO stood around. 10y
ana AT TINS time a gentleman came to mo .
have invited me to his house saying, that lad;
tba. VINO had sons in the army wished 10 Coo -
- although | was a perfect stranger and no
-. u 6neW my name, | went with him
'est IL Ishsa me my na@e sslg lsd I% adiiis etn - -" -
the he introduced me. They all sat aronnJ ~
-. looked wlshfully at me. felt so b.nas a
nun ol the goodness of the Lord H.,
rate asAeu Inen all II they had learned 70 In
an upoi iAlh' ana 70 trust in Him. and ~
can trorhlno So Ile had been to me in mar
ro.. srouoies, and now he had restored 70 mai
boy, and that a day never nasSad =" W me q
iany aSkeo mat God might protect him h. n ~
the almighty power. Tears spranp 70 II
ind IN the room. A great many Seemed , E.
=, the greatest interest in nv misS;on 20 le
10 Joced that | had found my Son. Gsn ~uu r.
the would come to me and ask me III mnf
rble. Iaoy who had found her son. wboma u !,
and thought was dead, and would tell mn 81 81
ola their hearts were moved at our maet;n. no
0uia they too, had sons in the army
1t We started back on the Norfo,k t.,;
ally when we reached Boykin's, your fatha, an an
sun there, waiting to see If he coniI va wa
an. anything from Alfred. As the tra;n lie nea
'"us tne depot, waved my handkerch;af '. th;a1
un- ing ne wonld see it but it Gid not a,tr.o ,ti =;
pom sten.lon, as he was looking at a number = J
row cannon which were passing between h; ~ an :
myself. Alfred was standine in fun nln n an
"m on the steps ready to get down whsn h Gl N m
are tner saw nm, said, ALFRED. vorr q fs,h -
nas Just seen you" and as soon 80 = latu tut
the I Ia.shHea who 1t was, l saw him mt his ha va
,ss. neichlei TO his eyes and come as nan ~
ran as he could. Alfred went on ;eIl "a |.
the nm, and your father took him in b biS ~
see him again. H'r expected t