Letter of Llewellyn Merriwether Humphris

This is a transcription of an 1862 letter sent from Llewellyn Merriwether Humphris to his father Merriwether Alan Humphris, of Ceder Grove Mills in Rockbridge County, VA. Thanks to Robert R. Humphris, of Charlottesville, VA, for giving us a copy.

Midway March 19th 1862

Pa I have just returned from Stanton and hav to go back Friday if I can get any way to go I hav been to Stanton till it has almost fixit me I thnk on more trip wil but me to bed I hav no hops of gettin off they are taking dead men the 93r Regment has left Stanton for Winchester P. G. Steele & Mr. Perry as goin to the Malisha left without a tent or anything to cookin Stanton is as ny Hell as ever I want to be it seems strang that old Master dont destroy the Helish place I blieve that half the people in Stanton ar Union men if you get this letter in time I would like for you to come down and go with me to Stanton if I don't get off Friday I exspect to go on from Stantown Mag is almost crazy I wil go as fare as I can and when I cant go no farther they can do as they please with me

My love to all

L. M. Humphris

According to Robert Humphris, Llewllyn’s gret-grandson, Merriwether, a miller, was able to keep his son out of the Confederate army. Llewellyn’s 1900 obituary stated that “during the Civil War he was exempt from field service to grind for the government.”