Mallett, Charles Peter, 1792-1873
Page 1
Chapel
Hill
18th April 65
My Dear
Son
[. . .]
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[. . .] I was at Church in the afternoon [
Easter
Sunday, April 16].
Mr [Andrew]
Mickle called out, and when I met him in the street, found that another
parolled prisoner
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from
Lees
Army had come in, and reported
the
Yankees approaching in force on the town road, which of course produced
great excitement The citizens met and appointed a committee to meet them and
ask a safeguard;
2
between sun down and dark some forty or fifty under a
Lieut
3
—came dashing into the village and enquired for
Wheelers men—some few seperated from the others and
behaved badly, took away some watches &c; but when the
Lt
was informed he called them off, and returned to the
Head Quarters, appointing 8 oclock the next morning to meet the Army, and make
our terms. I was on the committee, and if
Gov
Swain
did nothing more on his mission, he procured favorable terms for
Raleigh
and
Chapel
Hill. Monday 17. the committee met the column on the Hill were very
courteously received by
Genl.
Atkins
who upon being assured that all of
Wheelers men had gone, and that no resistance would be
made, called a halt, and informed us, that his orders were positive to respect
all private property; (provisions and forage excepted)—Seeing many of the
men break the lines, I remarked to
Genl
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that those men would
rush in and pillage before the regular guard could be arranged; he then gave
orders to a
Michigan
Col. to take his Regt with speed into the village and protect every house that
desired it; and by the time we came back through the efforts of your
Brother
and some others guards were soon established and
besides the watches and some bacon hams I have heard of nothing to complain of
up to the present writing, and whilst I write, my safeguard is indulging in a
sound snoring sleep in my large easy chair [. . .]
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Friday morning 21
st—fifth day of
occupation—I feel provoked to hear the college bell sounding on as though
the college was in full blast—a miserable set—
not one true man among them and they desire to hand
it down in History that the dear
Yankees, did not interfere with the regular exercise
of the college—when in truth there were not five students here when
Wheeler
left us.
Gov.
Swain
has over five hundred bus[hels] of corn, and I learn that he has
lost nothing.
Mr
Wright
4
is
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the greatest sufferer I have heard of
Mr
Mickles deposites have been rifled loosing his
coin—silver—watches &c; of his own, and some entrusted to him
by others. up to a late hour yesterday no tidings had been received from or of
Judge Person.
5
Genl.
Atkins
who is in command is a Gentleman and a Lawyer, and he told
Judge
[William] Battle
yesterday—that he should return home without the
slightest evidence of his ever having been south, but his commission that he
had not the value of one cent of spoil, and certainly he has used great effort
to suppress pillage and wrong, by allowing a guard to the most humble applicant
and even to the Doctors woman
Judy. I am now feeling anxious about our bacon which has
been under ground ten days, could I have foreseen it—I would have left it
in the smoke house—where no one has offered to look: [. . .]
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Sunday, 23
d—Seventh day of occupation The
College Bell rang for prayers as usual. I
know there is but
one in the Senior and
one in the
junior classes,
6
and I am credibly informed there is but one other student in college. We will
see, (maybe) what the Faculty will publish on the subject. every thing quiet
and I hear of nothing wrong in the village. Young Ladies are getting over their
fright—and becoming quite sociable—I learn that Misses Fetters
7
are walking the streets with them, and
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Miss
Ella Swain sent to Carrie
8 to
borrow her side saddle to
write ride out
with some officer—Several other Ladies—or I would rather call them
women—have been riding out with them. A rumour was current yesterday,
that articles had been signed—restoring
the
Union &c; &c.;
9 of
course we cannot know yet—
Lincoln's death is not believed— Mary's man
Sitter has been seen at
Durhams. [. . .]
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Tuesday morning, 25
th April, 9
th day of occupation What can be more ridiculous than the
continued ding dong of the College bell for prayers and all the usual
recitation hours, when there are now but one Senior and one junior in
College—and besides in my usual walks to visit Anna and Mary
10 I
pass through the campus and between the college buildings, and I can always
hear
the
Yankees at nine pins or some other such game on the several floors and
passages—and stories, as well of the [c]ollege buildings as of
the
Chapel itself. I asked
Joe Mickle
yesterday to go out and see
Miss
Mary Smith
, which he did and reports things in a better condition,
although she has been pillaged of of every thing, all her bed and table linen
and towells not one left. having a guard she is in better spirits and more
composed and has had supplies sent to her [. . .]
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My guard has just come in—says the camp rumours confirm the
death of
Lincoln on 14th
and that the man escaped, that
Andy
Johnson
refused to accept the terms of capitulation &c; &c;—says that
Kilpatrick is to be here to day, for
review—and they hope to leave tomorrow. I would much prefer they were
here, than 10 miles off, when we should be subject to continued raids. My guard
also informs me, (and he believes it) that his captain is to be married before
they leave to
Miss
Fetter —certainly those girls with
Beck
Ryan and
Ella
Swain have lain themselves open to much scandel—I have just seen
John
Patterson, who is immediately from
Durhams, where he saw the
Philadelphia enquirer of the 17, in which is a full
account of the killing of
Lincoln which was done by a son of
Booth, the Magician—the same paper also announces the death of
Sewards
son, and that
Seward
is not expected to recover from his wounds.
11
Johnsons terms of capitulation were not accepted, and a flag
of truce went up the road yesterday to meet him—I have seen a young man,
who went off with the Doctors wagon; he says they
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were safe yesterday morning about twenty five miles from here—and
that
Wheeler
and
Johnson are disbanding their men—that the whole
country is covered with parties returning home the best way they can—are
selling good mules and horses at $15. to $20. each. [. . .]
12
Endnotes:
3. "
Capt. J. M. Schermerhorn of
the 92nd Illinois Cavalry led 12 men into
town" (
Vickers 72).
4.
William A. Wright
, a
Wilmington lawyer and president of the
Bank of Cape Fear, had sought refuge in
Chapel
Hill, bringing with him watches, coins, silver, gold, and other articles
that people had entrusted to him for safekeeping.
6. Though fourteen students began the year as seniors, only
William Curtis Prout
(b. 1848) from
Williamsboro, NC, completed the year, and only three other
seniors returned to
Chapel
Hill to receive their degrees during the 1865 Commencement.
Battle
reports that by early June 1865 "No Junior was
present at the examination of this year. Five represented the Sophomore Class,
and only two Freshmen" (
1:748).
7.
Sarah Cox and
Manuel
Fetter
were the parents of three daughters:
Susan,
Catherine (Kate), and
Martha.
9.
Gen.
Sherman had granted
Gen.
Johnston terms intended to return both
the
North and
the
South to the same relationship that had existed before the
Civil
War, but on April 24th,
Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant, meeting
Sherman in
Raleigh, informed him that the terms were not
acceptable in
Washington, that
Johnston could receive only the same terms offered
Gen.
Robert E. Lee—that the fighting would stop.
11. The plot to assassinate
President Lincoln included a separate attack by
John
Wilkes Booth's co-conspirators on the home of
William Henry Seward
(1801-72), US Secretary of State
(1861-69).
Seward
was stabbed, and his son
Frederick William Seward(1830-1915) sustained a fractured
skull in protecting his father. Father and son both recovered, and the elder
Seward
accompanied
President Andrew Johnson to
Chapel
Hill for the 1866 Commencement exercises.
12.
Mallett
continued his letter-journal through April 29,
1865, commenting on the disbanding of
Gen.
Johnston's army, "a disposition on the part of our servants"
to leave, efforts to recover property hidden prior to the occupation of
Chapel
Hill, and concerns about his sons still with the
Confederate army.