Scope and Contents Barrier addresses his father and mother both in this letter. He begins by assuring them that all is quiet on the lines, despite their close proximity to the enemy: "Butler seems to be satisfied to lie quietly in his den near Bermuda Hundred." They've also received news that Johnston defeated Sherman's army in northern Georgia. The spirits and health of the regiment are generally good. Barrier himself writes that he has been in "delicate health" for two weeks, and in the field since early...

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"We are on our way to Richmond," writes Barrier, "and I expect to Lee's army." He says that it appears that Butler has left Bermuda Hundred, and that the enemy will "hazard all with Grant." He gives his address in Richmond.

Scope and Contents Barrier writes a brief note from a field hospital on the regiment's involvement at the battle of Cold Harbor. They are stationed near Gaines' Mill, Virginia, he says, and have been fighting for two days. Lt. Col. John Murchison is dead. (Murchison was commanding the regiment in the absence of Col. Whitson, who was captured while on leave and did not return during the war). "The regiment is badly cut up. I will not attempt to give you an account of the killed, wounded, and missing." Barrier...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes from the field hospital, where his health is "slowly improving." It has been, he reports, a day of hard fighting, with the Confederate forces repeatedly repulsing Union assaults with "great slaughter." On the day he writes the whole brigade is being held in reserve. Reports of the missing from his regiment are slow to trickle in; Barrier will pass along a list of the casualties when it is complete. "Since the 20th of April," says Barrier, "We have lost 21 officers, killed,...

Scope and Contents Barrier reports that there is little fighting, but a great deal of sharpshooting, going on at the time of his writing. "Our regiment is very small since the fight," he says. "We number 180 men at this time. Including the Plymouth fight we have lost 420 men killed, wounded, and missing. We have been in seven fights since the 18th of April. Our flank has been turned by the enemy six times out of seven, which is the great cause of our heavy losses. Our regiment has been surrounded twice so that...

Scope and Contents Barrier mentions in passing that he is "in charge of the regiment" (when Lt. Col. Murchison was shot on 1 June field command of the regiment passed to the senior caption, P. A. Kennerly of Co. K, since Maj. Barrier was in hospital. Barrier assumed command on his return, and retained it for the duration of the war. His commission as lieutenant colonel dates to 7 June 1864, the actual day of Murchison's death). The regiment numbers 200 men at the time of writing. Barrier notes that he has...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes from the trenches near Petersburg while awaiting an attack from "the indomitable Ulysses S. Grant." He describes an action of the previous Friday (17 June) in which elements of Clingman's Brigade recovered a stretch of the Petersburg defensive trenches from occupying Yankees. "Our Brigade has the satisfaction of being complimented by General Lee that we saved Petersburg and half of our Corps from the hands of the enemy. But the gallant deeds of our Brigade fell seriously upon...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes that he is in good health and still in the trenches before Petersburg. Grant appears reluctant to attack: "I have seen northern papers up to the first of July in which they admit a loss of (180,000) one hundred and eighty thousand men since the first of April. If they have lost such an army as that they never can create another." Barrier's regiment has lost few men since last he wrote. He reports that Grant's forces have withdrawn from the vicinity of the Weldon Railroad and...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes in reply to his father's letter of 21 July. He confirms his receipt of the shirt and socks he'd been requesting and hopes too that his father will be able to send along a new horse, as Barrier believes the regiment will soon be on the move again. He writes that he's thinking of sending his slave home to procure vegetables and "other good things to eat" in about two weeks, which he hopes to later sell in the camps: "A good box of good things will be worth five hundred dollars...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes in reply to his father's letter of 1 August, glad that his family is in good health and happy to report the same for himself. Everything has been quiet, he says, since last Saturday, when Grant "blew up a portion" of their line (the battle of the Crater, 30 July 1864). "The explosion as represented to me was one of the grandest sights ever witnessed. The earth trembled as if a mighty earthquake had belched forth from the fiery depths of the infernal regions, then came a mighty...

Scope and Contents Barrier opens by reiterating part of his last letter: he has sent his slave home to Mt. Pleasant to procure either a horse, if one is available, or quantities of vegetables, chickens, and flour, as well as other items for use by Barrier or for reselling in camp. He sends along money as well, to repay some debts he has incurred. He is glad to have heard that Mt. Pleasant went for Zebulon Vance in the North Carolina gubernatorial election. He asks as well for some of his sister's berries,...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes in good health and with little to report. "The intentions of the two armies," he says, "seem to be very much mistified at this time. My opinion is that the two armies will be in Northern Virginia in less than two weeks." He thinks that something important is about to happen, but that his division will likely be left to defend Petersburg should the fight move elsewhere. He is glad of Zebulon Vance's success in the recent elections: "I look upon the election of Vance as the...

Scope and Contents Barrier finds himself once again stricken with dysentery, but he remains in the trenches, discharging his duties: "I have been suffering with diarrhea and dysentery for three months and a half [and] I have not missed but four days duty in the present campaign, which commenced the twelfth of last April." He writes about the results of the recent political races in North Carolina, sad that his preferred candidates didn't win other offices but still pleased that Zebulon Vance defeated William...

Scope and Contents "I have no doubt," begins Barrier, "but you have been expecting to hear from me before now, but I have put it off from day to day hoping that I might improve in health before writing." He says he is a little better than he was before he left home, but is still in the division field hospital. The previous Thursday, he says, there was a general engagement along the Petersburg-Richmond line, and the enemy fared poorly: "A yankey Colonel under flag of truce acknowledged their losses from all...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes to assure his parents that he is still alive and recovering. He hopes to be cured soon. Everything is quiet except for occasional shelling: "Were it not for that you should hardly know that you were in the presence of two large contending armies." The rain is turning the roads to mud and that might mean that the armies will have to dig in for the winter. His brigade is recruiting: "We are stronger now than we were before the Fort Harrison fight. The whole army is filling at a...

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Barrier has not heard from his father in some time. He writes that his health is improving rapidly. There has been no fighting lately. His brigade is "snugly fixed for the winter." He had his horse valued a few days before; it is worth $3083.33 1/3. He hopes to hear soon from home.

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"I have concluded to send my boy home about the 17th December so that he may bring me something for a Christmas dinner," begins Barrier. "Please save me all the butter and eggs you can." He details the feast he envisions. All is quiet where he is. His health continues to improve.

Scope and Contents Barrier reports that he is well and that his horse is well. He reiterates his Christmas dinner requests from the previous letter. He reports that there is widespread happiness about the re-election of Abraham Lincoln in the north: "Every soldier seems to be more determined to fight to the death since the election than they were before." All is quiet where he is, and their position is well-fortified and well-provisioned for the time. He asks for money from home, as he has over $500 due him...

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Barrier writes his father to let him know that all is well since his father's visit. Last week, he says, the regiment received orders to be ready to march on Saturday, destination unknown. On Saturday they discovered they'd be marching to the front up the Darbytown Road. Their reconnaissance met with some resistance and a skirmish ensued.

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Barrier writes a short letter instructing his family to send him clothes, boots, and other things.

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Barrier writes that they are under marching orders again, most likely to Wilmington, North Carolina.

Scope and Contents Barrier writes en route to Wilmington, North Carolina, via Goldsboro, unsure when he will arrive. He describes the previous night's events, when a special train passed bearing Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, Sen. Douglas Henry of Tennessee, Sen. James McNair Baker of Florida, Sen. William A, Graham of North Carolina, and Representatives Thomas Fuller and John Gilmer of North Carolina. "We had a small talk from each of those worthies. All are fine looking gentlemen and gave us very encouraging...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes in response to his father's recent letter, glad to hear of his family's good health and his father's safe return to Mt. Pleasant from Richmond. He mentions briefly the suffering he and his fellow soldiers endured traveling to Wilmington. Several came down with pneumonia. He received his coat and boots; they fit well, and he is grateful. He is currently quartered in a cabin and getting along well, though he does not know how long he will be there. There is nothing for the men...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes from line of battle near Wilmington, expecting an attack at any moment. The regiment is on duty at "Confederate Point" (Fedral Point) five miles from Fort Fisher, and Barrier doesn't comprehend why: "I cannot understand what we are to accomplish by remaining at this point. General Bragg may intend to hold Wilmington at all hasards." Fort Fisher, he writes, was "surrendered most disgracefully" the previous Sunday. He suspects that those manning it at the time of the assault...

Scope and Contents Barrier is still stationed on Confederate Point near Fort Fisher, where all is generally quiet save for occasional shelling and a few inconsequential skirmishes. Barrier is now in command of Clingman's Brigade, and he doesn't like it: "I am placed in a very unfortunate position just at this time . . . have been in command for several days and likely to remain so for several weeks." There is a rumor around camp that there will soon be peace and that, as Barrier says, "We shall be recognized...

Scope and Contents Barrier writes that he is presently experiencing the "coldest winter within the knowledge of the oldest inhabitants of this section." All is quiet, though Saturday last the enemy shelled their position all day and advanced upon them, with little result. He acknowledges the recent news that peace talks have failed, decries those who still hope for reconstruction with the union, and celebrates Jefferson Davis for honorably attempting to pursue peace: "The time has at last arrived when there is...

Scope and Contents "I have no doubt," begins Barrier, "but there is a great deal of anxiety upon the minds of the friends of my regiment since the fall of Wilmington. I am happy to inform you that we are all safe so far." He writes on the go, sixteen miles south of Magnolia on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. Arrangements have been made, he says, to exchange ten thousand prisoners on the banks of the Northeast River. He reports that Wilmington was evacuated on 23 February and that neither men nor munitions...

Scope and Contents Barrier is now 11 miles south of Magnolia Station, about 40 miles from Wilmington. He writes as the war has taken a turn for the worse: "If our section of the country is to be the scene of war let us not murmur but bear it like the Spartan heroes . . . if we are to be subjugated, let it be done with sword in hand battling for liberty." He declares that the Union forces will pay for their transgressions against the Confederacy. Barrier believes that Gen. Sherman is making his way toward...

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As Barrier writes, he and his forces are on the move to meet Sherman's army: "I trust we shall be able to hurl him back to the coast of North Carolina in a very short time." He received official news the previous day that Sherman had been given a "pretty good whipping" by Hardee's army, and that Grant's forces had withdrawn from Richmond and Petersburg. Barrier feels that the last grand struggle will take place in North Carolina, and remains confident in the cause.

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Barrier writes to his mother and father that he is well and in good health. He is on the way home from Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. He says he will save his description of his travels and the land until he is able to deliver them in person.