Your most welcom letter was received several days, and I may say almost weeks ago, and I have delayed answering it—until I am really ashamed of myself. You must excuse me this time and I will promise not to treat you so again. I am well and enjoying pretty good health. I way one hundred and sixty pounds, and am as ugly as ever but I dont care any thing for that. To day is Sunday and we have the first recitation this even[ing] that we have had since last wednesday3 owing to the death of one of the Professors Dr Phillips , (Prof of Mathematics) who left his room on last wednesday morning as4 well as usual, and came up to the Chapel to morning prayers and just before the time came for him to pray he was seen to fall off his seat on the rostrum. the Professors and a part of the students rushed to him and layed him down on the rostrum and began to rub him the Doctor was sent for immediately, but within a few minutes he was no more. I never witnessed a more sad occurance in all my life, a litter was procured and we carried him down to his house. his family ware very much surprised for he had just left them a few minutes before. Both Societys met and then the whole boddy of students and passed resolutions concerning his death. the hall Chapel was draped and Dr Hepburn , (who you heard preach once) at Old Doc,s) preached his funeral on friday,5 very good—sermon the best I ever herd it will be published in a few days. after the funeral was over, the students formed a procession in front of the corpse and marched to the grave—The whole body of the students will wear6 mour crape for thirty days He was the senior Professor in College and has been here for forty one years and it is said that he did not miss half dozen duties during the whole time. The Junior Class recited to him, and the Fresh and Sophs to his son Dr Charles Phillip but owing to the sickness of his son C. our class the Sophs had been reciting to him. Charles P – has been sicks for several weeks with the gout and cannot walk n[ow] so I dont know what we will do for a Professor on Math. I received a letter from Andrew Britton the other day. he said that Old Dock is very feeble indeed that he had not been out of his Study this Session. He likes the school very much. he is undecided yet whether he will come here or go to the University of Virginia. We have only ninety four [students] in at this time and as the Session is nearly half out I dont think any more will come in. Dr Swain (the son of the President Gov Swain ) who deserted our army, and went over to the yank 7 has returned to Chapel Hill he makes himself quite sociable, but is not respected only by his friends his Club mates— I heard from home the other day all were well. As the bell will ring in a few minutes for recitation on Bible I must close. excuse all mistakes &cet.; Write soon to your Brother,

1. Benjamin D. Stancell Papers, SHC.

2. The letter is misdated. In 1867, March 16 fell on a Saturday; however, the content of Stancell's letter indicates that he wrote it on a Sunday, which would have been March 17.

3. Stancell is mistaken. According to Faculty Minutes (6:313, UA) and James Phillips' tombstone, Phillips died on March 14, 1867, a Thursday.

4. Stancell wrote as on top of an unrecovered character.

5. "The funeral services were held in the Chapel at ll. A.M. on Saturday March 16th, the Rev. Prof. Hepburn officiating" (Faculty Minutes 6:313, UA).

6. Stancell wrote wear on top of several unrecovered characters.

7. The phrase "who deserted our army, and went over to the yank" is inserted between lines of the letter.