Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Fondren Library

Sections

Wilson, Hugh. Civil War Papers. 1862-1868. (MS 125)

Many of these letters, written from 1862-1868, are to Wilson's future wife, Mary Grier, containing information on the South Carolina upper classes. Wilson also talks about hospitals, medicine, schools, cemeteries, camp life, the military, and conscription. 1 inch (1 folder).

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Descriptive Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Administrative Information

Correspondence Index

Chronological Listing

Guide to the Hugh H. Wilson U.S. Civil War papers, 1862-1868


Descriptive Summary

Repository: Rice University, Fondren Library
Creator: Wilson, Hugh H.
Title: Hugh H. Wilson U.S. Civil War papers,
Dates: 1862-1868
Quantity: 1 inch (1 folder)
Abstract: Many of these letters are courtship letters toWilson's future wife, Mary Grier, containing information on the aspirations and attitudes of the South Carolina upper classes during the U.S. Civil War period. Wilson also relays information about hospitals, medicine, schools, cemteries, camp life and the military, and the issue of conscription.
Identification: MS #125
Language: Materials are in English.

Biographical Note

Hugh H. Wilson was a resident of Sumter District, South Carolina. He owned several slaves (at least) and ran a farm or plantation with them. In the summer of 1862 he began to court Mary Grier (or, at least, one letter has a pencilled-in notation by the name "Mrs. Grier": "Our grandmother"), a resident of Cheraw. In October, Mary and Hugh were married.

In the meantime, Hugh Wilson was searching for an appropriate position in the South Carolina army. Concerned with various possibilities of the Conscription Act and its Exemption Bill, Wilson sought a position either in medical or commissary work. Exploiting a family connection with the Witherspoon family, he finally became quartermaster sergeant on the staff of Col. James H. Witherspoon, 8th Regiment of the South Carolina Reserves, assigned to coastal defense.

That Wilson survived the war is attested by a letter written in 1868. An oblique reference in a letter written in 1874 seems to indicate he was living in that year. The course of his subsequent life is unknown.

Return to the Table of Contents


Scope and Contents

The letters of H.H. Wilson consist of 21 autograph letters with 7 drafts for the letters. In addition, a letter of January 3-4, 1864, is preserved in an undated newspaper clipping, and there is a letter of 1874 written to Mrs. Wilson on the death of her child by Betty M. McLeod. With the exception of one letter, written in 1868, all of Wilson's letters cover the period from 1862-1864.

Many of the letters are courtship letters. They contain much information on the aspirations and attitudes of the South Carolina upper classes. In addition, Wilson pays special attention to hospitals and medicine, schools, and cemeteries. Some material is contained in the letters which pertains to camp life and the military. Much of the material concerns the problem of conscription.

Return to the Table of Contents


Arrangement

Letters are in chronological order. In cases in which a draft letter is also present, the draft is filed after the letter, and in the listing is indicated by a "d" after the date.

Return to the Table of Contents


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Hugh H. Wilson U.S. Civil War papers must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library.

Return to the Table of Contents


Index Terms

Correspondents

McLeod, Betty M.--Correspondence.
Wilson, Mary Grier--Correspondence.

Subject:

Courtship--South Carolina.

Places

South Carolina--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
South Carolina--Social life and customs --19th century.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

Formats

Correspondence.
Family papers.
Personal papers.

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Hugh H. Wilson U.S. Civil War papers, 1862-68, MS #125, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University]

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Hardin Craig, Jr. (granddaughter of Wilson), 1956.

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by John Fowler, 1978.

Return to the Table of Contents


Correspondence Index

This index is primarily topical. Persons whose full names are given--or who are obviously related to clearly identifiable persons--and military personnel of the rank of major or higher, are listed as well.
Place names occur mostly in itineraries of travel (most of which can be found under the heading: "railroads,"); those few places which cannot be disregarded are indexed.
All entries refer to finished letters. In cases where the draft contains information not found in the final letter, the date of the letter and the symbol "d" are listed.
"Second Revolution" 1862, 7-21
8th Regiment South Carolina Reserves 1862, 8-22 and n.d.
[K]no[w]-nothing Party 1862, 7-21
Antietam, Battle of 1862 1862, 9-25
Artillery Batteries n.d. 1862, 6-23; 1863, 5-22; 1862, 9-11
Benbow, Col. C.S.A. 1862, 9-11
Bleeding (Medical procedure) 1862, 9-11
Blockade of civilian traffic 2 186, 9-11
Camp Hampton 1866, 12-5
Camp life 1862, 12-5; 1863, 6-23
Casualties 1862, 7-11; 1862, 7-21; 1862, 8-6; 1862, 9-8; 1862,9-11; 1862, 10-15
Cavalry 1863,6-23
Cemeteries 1862, 7-21; 1862, 8-6
Charleston Mercury 1868, 7-3
Chesterfield Academy 1862, 8-22
Church Services (Presbyterian) 1862, 10-23
Cider 1862, 9-11
Civilian desertion of countryside on CSA occupation 1863, 5-22
Coit's Battery 5-22
Colzy, Sam 1862 1863, 7-11; 1862, 9-8; 1862, 10-10; 1862, 8-22
Commissary Department (C.S.A.) 1862, 9-8; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-20
Conscript Law (Exemption Bill) 1862, 10-10; 1863, 6-23
Conscript Law (in South Carolina) 1862, 8-22; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-25
Conscription 1862, 8-22; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-25;, 1862,10-1; 1862,10-1;, 1863,6-23
Cooper, Eli 1862, 7-11
Cooperation between Confederate and state government 1862, 10-15; 1862, 10-15d
Corinth, Battle of 1862 1862, 8-22
Cotton 1862, 8-6 (embargo); 1862, 9-20
Cox, Mrs. from Masiou 1863, 6-23
Crane, [Elizabeth] "Lizzie" 1862, 8-22
Crane, Dr. and Mrs. 1862 1862, 8-22; 1862, 10-10
Deserters (C.S.A.) executed n.d.
Dick, J.H. 1862, 7-11
Edgeworth Seminary 1862, 7-21
English, T.R., Rev. 1862, 10-23
Family connections 1862, 6-30
Foreigners, attitudes toward 1862, 9-20
Friendship 1862, 7-11
Furlough 1863, 5-22
Gilmer, Congressman 1862, 7-21
Grier, Mrs. n.d.
Hollywood Cemetary 1862, 7-21d; 1862, 7-23
Hospitals 1862, 7-21; 1863, 5-22; 1863, 6-23
Human Nature 1862, 8-29
Jenkins, Micah Gen. C.S.A. 1862, 9-11
Jews 1862, 10-10
Joint stock companies 1862, 8-6; 1862, 12-5
LaC[a]ste, Sam 1862, 8-6
LaCaste, Miller 1862, 9-8; 1862, 9-11
Lee, Stephen Dill (?) Col. C.S.A. 1862, 7-11
Mayes, William (Dr.) 1862, 7-11; 1862, 7-21
McBride, James 1862, 7-21
McCutcheon, George 1862, 9-8
Medical personnel 1862, 7-11; 1862, 7-21; 1862, 7-23; 1862, 8-6; 1862, 9-11; 1862,9-20; 1863, 6-23
Methodist College 1862, 7-21
Mills, Anderson 1862, 9-8; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 10-15
Mills, Mr. (H.H.W.'s neighbor) 1862,8-6; 1862, 12-5
Mills, William 1862, 9-8; 1862, 10-15
Molloy, T. 1862, 8-6
Montgomery, John 1862, 10-15
Montgomery, Mrs. (H.H.W.'s sister) 1862, 9-8; 1862, 9-11
Montgomery, Sue (H.H.W.'s niece) 1862, 8-22; 1862, 9-20; 1862, 12-5
Moore, Hannah 1862, 9-25
Morehead, Governor 1862, 7-21
Moses, F.J. Col. C.S.A. 1862, 7-21
Mount Pleasant, S.C. n.d.
Mount Zion, S.C. 1862, 8-22
Music 1862, 9-25
Negro Slaves n.d.1862, 12-5; 1862, 10-23; 1862, 10-15; 1862, 10-10; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-8
Newspapers 1862, 9-8; 1868, 7-3; 1862, 7-21
Passports, internal 1862, 7-21; 1862, 9-20
Plantation management n.d.
Planter's Cotton Bank 1862, 8-6
Potatoes 1862, 12-5
Powder mills 1862, 8-6
Prices cloth n.d.; 1863, 5-22 bacon
Prisoners, Confederate 1862, 8-22
Railroads 1862, 7-111862, 7-21, 1862, 10-10, 1862, 10-24, n.d.,
Reserves, South Carolina 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-25; 1862, 10-1; 1862, 10-15; 1862, 8-22
Rice 1862, 10-10
Rich and poor, conflict between 1862, 10-10
Richmond Cemetary 1862, 7-21
Richmond General Hospital 1862, 7-21
Roberts, Lt. Col. C.S.A. 1862, 9-11
Rutledge, Col. C.S.A. n.d.
Sanduskey, Ohio 1862, 8-22
Sasnasky (sic.), Madam, High School of 1862 1862, 9-20
Savannah, Georgia 1862, 9-20
School-mates 1862, 9-20
Schools 1862, 7-21; 1862, 8-22; 1862, 9-20; 1862, 10-23
Scott, John (H.H.W.'s nephew) 1862, 7-11; 1862, 7-21; 1862, 5-22;, n.d.
Scott, May (H.H.W.'s niece) 1862, 8-22; 1862, 12-5
Scott, Mrs. (H.H.W.'s sister) 1862, 7-21; 1862, 8-6
Scudder, "Sissie" 1862 1862, 9-201862, 9-25
Servants (free) 1868, 7-3
Shaw, Dwight 1862, 9-8
Shaw, Mary 1862, 8-22
Sicknesses 1874, 2-20; 1868, 7-3; 1863, 5-22; 1862, 10-23; 1862, 10-15; 1862, 8-22; 1862, 8-6; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 10-10
Smythe, Bob 1862, 9-20
South Carolina, invasion of, 1861 1862, 9-11
Sullivan Island, South Carolina n.d.
Sumter Gazette 1862, 9-8
Supply wagons 1862, 12-5
Taxes and tarriffs 1862, 7-21
Teachers (and Professors) 1862, 10-23; 1862, 7-21; 1862, 9-20
Telegraph 1862, 9-8
Thornwell, Dr. and Mrs. 1862, 8-61862, 9-20,
V[arun], James 1862, 7-21; 1862, 10-23
Virginia Campaign (1862) 1862, 9-11
Walker, William S. Gen. C.S.A. n.d.
Whilden, Maj. C.S.A. 1862, 9-11
White's Battery 1863, 6-23
Wilson, Clara 1862, 10-23
Wilson, Dr. 1863, 6-23
Wilson, Moultri n.d.
Wilson, R.E. 1862, 9-8
Wilson, W.W. 1862, 10-23
Witherspoon, A.J., Rev. 1862, 8-22
Witherspoon, Capt. C.S.A. 1862, 9-20
Witherspoon, Dunham, from Yorkville 1862 1862, 9-20
Witherspoon, J[ohn] E. 1862, 9-11;1862, 9-20
Witherspoon, James H. Col. C.S.A. 1862, 8-22; 1862, 9-11; 1862, 9-20; n.d.,
Word's Battery 1863, 6-23
Worley Battery 1863, 6-23

Return to the Table of Contents


Folder
1 Hugh Wilson Correspondence - Chronological Listing
The following is a chronological listing of the letters in this collection. A subject index follows this list.
C. Wadsworth to [D.] McNair 1839 August 10
H. H. Wilson to "Miss Mary" 1860 June 30
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1860 July 11
H. H. W. to "Dear" 1862 July 11 d.*
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1862 July 21
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1862 July 21 d.*
H. H. W. to [Mar]y 1862 July 23
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1862 August 6
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1862 August 22
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" 1862 August 22 d.
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" [1862] August 29
H. H. W. to "Miss Mary" [[1862 August] 29] d.
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 8
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 8 d.
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 11
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 20
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 25
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 September 25 d.
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 1
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 10
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 15
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 15 d.
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 23
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 October 24
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1862 December 5
H. H. W. to "Dear Wife" 1863 May 22
H. H. W. to "My Dear Marie" 1863 June 23
H. H. W. to "Dear Wife" 1868 July 3
Bettie M. McLeod to "My Dear Marie" 1874 February 20
Newspaper clipping publishing Wilson letter n.d.
*d. denotes draft
Return to the Table of Contents

Personal tools