Papers, 1852-1865 (bulk 1861-1865), of the Clayton and Semmes families of Georgia.

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Papers, 1852-1865 (bulk 1861-1865), of the Clayton and Semmes families of Georgia.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/432726912

Included are letters, 1862-1863 of Gen. Paul Jones Semmes (of Wilkes County, Ga., a brigade commander in the Army of Northern Virginia), chiefly to his sister, Caroline Maria (Semmes) Clayton (of Atlanta, Ga.), discussing moving the war north, where the Confederate Army could subsist on local supplies and livestock; recruiting issues; and fighting around Richmond, Va., and Fredericksburg, Va., in 1862. Letter of 19 May 1863, to his brother-in-law, William Wirt Clayton (of Atlanta, Ga.), reports he has had to abandon operations on his plantation because of Yankee harassment and also discusses his participation at the battle of Chancellorsville. Also included is correspondence, 1859-1864, of Sgt. [later Lt.] William Harris Clayton, a soldier in the 7th Georgia Infantry Regiment, with his family, chiefly his parents, William Wirt Clayton and Caroline Maria (Semmes) Clayton of Atlanta, Ga., concerning daily life in the Confederate army and military campaigns. Significant items include letter of 13 June 1861 giving William's impressions of Harpers Ferry, Va., and discussing his recent journey to Richmond, Va., from Georgia; letter of 9 December 1861 describes his witnessing the execution of two Confederate soldiers in camp for the attempted killing of their officer; letter of 25 June 1862 tells of his arrest for fraternizing with an enemy picket; letter of 17 April 1863 mentions his capture of a free African American Unionist and Clayton's regret in not executing him; letter of 19 May 1863 concerns the battle of Chancellorsville and the death of Stonewall Jackson; letter of 15 July 1863 talks about the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg and the death of his uncle, Paul Jones Semmes; letter of 11 December 1863 discusses the hardships he suffered during the Knoxville, Tenn., campaign; and letter of 14 May 1864 describes the fighting at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Miscellaneous letters include an undated letter by Mary Semmes "Mamie" Clayton discussing the movements of her family to a safer location in southwest Georgia and a letter of 14 August 1865 concerning her family's dispute with Northern troops over the planting of a United States flag on the family's property and the punishing of a local man for insulting Abraham Lincoln).

104 items.

Virginia Historical Society Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7520600

Virginia Historical Society Library

Related Entities

There are 10 Entities related to this resource.

Semmes family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bh23v9 (family)

Confederate states of America. Army

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fn4wfh (corporateBody)

The Savannah Ordnance Depot, Savannah, Georgia, was organized as a field depot during the Civil War. In April 1864, it became the Savannah Arsenal under the supervision of the Chief of Ordnance. From the description of Savannah Ordnance Depot employment roll, 1864. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 38477938 The Confederate States of America Army may have created the position of Purchasing Commissary of Subsistence to oversee the distribution of food and other supplies to the Co...

Clayton family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tv45rb (family)

Clayton, William Wirt, 1812-1885.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6f79f3d (person)

Semmes, Paul J. (Paul Jones), 1815-1863

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6708d8k (person)

Brigadier general in the Confederate army. From the description of Papers, 1861. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 41150159 ...

Confederate States of America. Army. Georgia Infantry Regiment, 7th

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68h3s6t (corporateBody)

Clayton, William Harris, 1843-1891.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6km2dsb (person)

Clayton, Caroline Maria Semmes, 1819-1893.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61003zx (person)

Clayton, Mary Semmes, 1842-1899.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69055q0 (person)

Confederate States of America. Army of Northern Virginia

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fj6g0f (corporateBody)

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America's Eastern Theater. Organized on June 20, 1861, as the Army of the Potomac, it soon incorporated the armies of the Shenandoah, Harpers Ferry, and the Northwest. The army's name changed to Army of Northern Virginia on March 14, 1862. It surrendered to the Northern Army of the Potomac at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. From the description of Confederate States of America, Army of ...