This letter written in nice dark ink on legal size paper is headed what looks like, “New Centre, S.C.” – We couldn’t find a listing of this town.  Look at our photos and see if you can read the writing better. 

The letter is signed “A. P. Campbell”.  The letter is written to a “Mr. D. J. Hile”.  The entire letter is about the topic of Secession.  Campbell is a true Secessionist through and through.  Read the entire letter as it is quite amazing! 


                                                                                                                                            “New Centre, S.C.
                                                                                                                                                     Jany. 4, 1861

Mr. D. J. Hile:

                Dear Sir, I suppose the time has come that I ought to write to you again
of our excitement I need write nothing.  You know we have seceded.  You know
 that you Comm. – to Washington from the Convention were not noticed as I can
 tell you – perhaps you do not know that our militia are called out every week for
drill & that every Battalion in the state is expected to furnish one company of
volunteers.  I hope you will know before this reaches you that Mississippi has also
seceded.  We expect here to have another time that will try men’s souls.  We live
in an age of great evils.  We are making history every day.  How the thing may
terminate God alone knows.  We think we are right.  We think it would be wrong
to submit to B. Republicans vile to submit to further aggressions.  We do not
blame ourselves, but those northern states how have by their own state laws have
nullified the constitution of the U.S. & now elected a man who will carry out
the laws of their states in opposition to the decisions of the Supreme Court &
constitution.  We expect no compromise in the union, nor do we now expect any
treaty out of it – Our only hope is in the cooperation of other S. States, as the
matter stands today.  I believe we will get Florida, Ala., Miss.  We may get
Louisiana.  Georgia, Ark., Tex., N.C., Tenn., are very doubtful.  I am a Secessionist
out & out, I would have preferred that S.C. had gone out nearer the time of the
other S. States, but we have done the deed & if our rights are not recognized we
will have to fight for them.  I am sorry to notice a difference of opinion as to the
mode of redress in all the states but our own.  We have none here (We have a little
among our not knowing) but unanimous & if needs be we will fight enough.  You
see all our papers, has the N.Y. Day Book been taken out there?  News of all kinds
 are buried in the excitement.  No trade, no money, not much corn, the wettest
winter so far that I have seen.  I have just closed up my book for the last year –
in ’57 I booked 1,200.  This year 1,000.  This year more of it good hands.  ’57 was
 my largest, this about the next.  I have plenty to eat & out of debt, my family is
 well, your kin here all up.  I saw your father today looks as well as I have seen
him in 4 or 5 yrs. 

                Di & Sally have a young minute man, fanny looks well, I. B. J. is
enquiring if we will still be at home & in the same climate of secession.  Singings
are not many, weddings scarcer.  G. F. Jackson married Ms. P. E. Elliott a few
days ago.  She was our teacher from N.C., oh J. Wilson has a concert at the
X-Roads on Saturday the 18th inst. come over & march mud & ale. 

               I want you to write to me soon & give the state of affairs.  Truly is there
much division among the people?  Tell me where I. L. Barry is, he wrote to me
last fall, I have never answered his letter, if he has moved or not you give me his
address & I will write to him immediately.  I have very few correspondents &
you are the only one I wrote to at all.

                            Nothing from (B. Ann).  Write, do not do as I do, do as you would be done by.

                                                                  
                                                                                              Yours truly,

                                A. P. Campbell”

For the Confederate or South Carolina collector, you must agree that this letter is really special! 

#HC107 - Price $650




                                                                                Entire letter did not fit on scanner, so pictures of are top/bottom of letter:


                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                    Top half of page 1:

Bottom half of page 1: