Civil War letters, 1862-1864, written primarily by James Michael Barr to his wife, Rebecca Ann Dowling Barr (1840-1921), while he served as a private in the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, discuss camp life, and his instructions for his wife re farming operations and management of African American slaves during his absence. Barr was proud to be doing his part for the Southern cause and he often wrote bitterly about those that he felt were not supporting the Confederacy, or worse, those who were profiting from the war. Letters suggest that many men saw service in this unit stationed in S.C. as a good way to avoid fighting in large engagements further north. Barr spent close to a year in the relative safety of the South Carolina coast, including at McClellanville (Charleston County, S.C.), and elsewhere. Some letters reference the proximity of his unit to enemy soldiers, and efforts by some Union soldiers to communicate and barter with Confederate troops, a market that was forbidden and of which Barr did not approve. Letters include Barr's explicit directions for his wife to follow regarding care of cattle, sheep, pigs and other livestock; planting of crops; smoking and preservation of meat; and management of African American slaves (who numbered twelve in 1860). During the spring of 1864, the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry was ordered to Virginia, where Barr saw action at Chester Station, Drewry's Bluff, Atkinson's Farm, and South Side. He also took part in some of the largest cavalry engagements of the war, including the Battles of Haw's Shop, Atlee's Station, Cold Harbor, and Trevilian Station, where he was wounded on 11 June 1864 and taken to Charlottesville General Hospital. Although initially Barr seemed to be recovering well, his condition worsened, and his leg was amputated above the knee on 7 July 1864. The following day his friend George Meetze wrote for Rebecca to come immediately. She arrived with her brother after a long and arduous journey to find that James had undergone a second amputation in an effort to prevent further infection from spreading. Barr died on 29 Aug. 1864.
