Individual Details

Death

A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER WRITES TO HIS WIFE

My dear wife: March 3rd, 1865

"I have to state to you the sad news that tomorrow at 12 o'clock that I have to die. I have to be shot to death for starting home to see my wife and dear children and was arrested and brought back and court-marshaled and am to be shot at 12 o'clock".

Me and D.M. Furr have to be shot but thanks be to God I am not afraid to die. I think when I leave this world I will be where Mary and Martha are."

"Dear wife, don't grieve for me. Try and not. I dreamt last night of seeing you but I shall never. You shall see your hubby no more. I want you to raise my children in the way they should go." "My dear son, Julius, this is my last order to you. I want you lo be a good boy and try to serve God and be a good man. Farewell, Julius, I must leave this world."

"And my sons, Ephraim, try and be a good man and serve God. My daughter, Rebecca, I bid farewell to you. Be a good girl and go to preaching."

"Farewell my dear son, Joel. You have no daddy now. Be a smart boy and mind your mother."

"My dear wife, Nancy, I have to bid farewell to you I want you to keep what things you have and pay my debts_ And I want Julius and Ephraim to have my shop tools and I want them to take good care of them and remember me."

"I have a little looking glass I want to send to Rebecca. I want her to remem­ber me. I have a good blanket I will get and send home. Will send my things with Lefler and try and get him to send them home if he will. And I have 25 or 30 dol­lars and I shall spend $5 of that in the morning before I suffer"

"Dear wife that is four months service. I can't write like if I was not in trouble. I don't mind death like I do to leave my family to suffer so much here that I don't fear. I don't want you to grieve for me for I feel like I am going home to die no more. I hope I shall be with shining angels and be out of trouble."

"I have a little book I want Joel to have and remember me. It has some pretty lines. I want you to send them children to school, and son, Julius, I can't hear from you any anymore."

"I sent him a letter but got no answer. I pity poor Julius for he has had no chance. I have got no chance to write for I must close my letter."



" March 4th, 1865

"A few lines to Daniel Lefler and Jane Lefler. I bid farewell to your mother and I bid farewell to your father and brothers and sisters. I must leave this world. Farewell, Julius, I must leave this world."

"Joseph Whitley" Submitted by: Cabarrus Heritage Committee. Sources' letter of Joseph Whitley

Update 01-01-2010: I was researching the book, Stanly County USA, The Story of an Area and an Era (1841-1972) by Ivey L. Sharpe and I came across this same letter. How ever the author was different, this letter was written by Joseph Huneycutt to his wife Mrs. Nancy Huneycutt. This letter did not include the March 4, 1865 entry naming Daniel Lefler and Jane Lefler. Regardless who the author was, the letter brought tears to my eyes, and I really would like to know who these families are.
JB

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The D.M. Furr in this letter is Daniel Monroe (Roe) Furr, 16 Aug 1827 - 4 Mar 1865. He is the son of John Furr and Beneeta (Neaty) Burris. (Source: Bill Furr)

While executions did take place, I did not find solid evidence of this one. Stanly County is in North Carolina, and soldiers of the mentioned surnames were in the NC 28th Infantry, Co.D I found 4 Whitley, but all survived the war;no Joseph in the records. Five Huneycutts were in D. None show being shot by the Company. A Joseph is listed as a private, but no other info. Seven Furr; 2 died of disease, the other 5 survived. No D.Furr. AS for Lefler, a Daniel from Stanly County is in the records, also surviving. Maybe the sentence was not carried out (Source: Bill Gillespie)

This letter is not the complete letter written in Petersburg VA by Pvt. Joseph Huneycutt of Stanly Co. NC. Joseph was a cobbler and made shoes for the Confederate cause. He however did not volunteer for the army. Because of his Union feelings Joseph was forced into the 7th NC Regt. and sent to Petersburg VA only a few weeks before he was executed. Three men left the army together at night to go home but had second thoughts and was caught slipping back into camp the next day. The third man was not executed but D M Furr and Joseph Huneycutt of Stanly Co. was executed as an example to others. (Source: John H. Burleson)