My Dear Wife, Tomorrow at 12 o'clock I Have to Die

A Condemned Soldier's Letter to His Family.

The following letter, which explains itself is published by request:    

My Dear Wife:
I have to state to you the sad news that tomorrow at 12 o'clock that I have to die. I have to be shot to death for starting home to see my wife and dear children and was arrested and brought back and court-martialed and am to be shot at 12 o'clock. Me and D. M. Furr have to die but thanks be to God I am not afraid to die. I think when I leave this world I shall be where Mary and Martha are. Dear wife, don't grieve for me. Try and not. I drempt last night of seeing you but I shall never. You shall see your husband no more. 1 want you to raise my children in the way that they should go. My dear son Julius, this is my last order to you. I want you to be a good boy and try to serve God and be a good man. Farewell, Julius I must leave this world. And my son Ephriam try and be a good man and serve God. My dear daughter Rebecca Heseltine, I bid farewell to you. Be a good girl and go to preaching. Farewell my dear son Joel. You have no daddy now. Be a smart boy and mind your mother. My dear wife Nancy, I have to bid farewell to you. I, want you to Keep what things you have and pay my debts. And I want Julius and Ephraim to have my shop-tools and want them to take good care of them and remember me. I have a little looking-glass that I want to send Rebecca. I want her to remember me. I have a blanket I will get and send home. Will send many things with -----Lefler and try and get him to send them home if he will, and I have 25 or 30 dollars and will spend $5 of that in the morning before I suffer. Dear wife, that is four months service. I can't write like if I was not in trouble. I don't mind death like I do to leave my family for I suffer so much here that I don't fear. I don't want you to grieve for me for I feel like I am going home to die no more. I hope I shall be with shining angels and be out of trouble. I have a little book I want Joel to have and remember me. It has some pretty lines. I want you to send the children to school and son Julius, 1 can't hear from you any more. I sent a letter, but got no answer. I pity poor Julius for he has had no chance. I have got no chance to write for I must close my letter.

                                                                March the 4th, 1865.

A few lines to Daniel Lefler and Jane Lefler. I bid farewell to you and my dear mother: I bid farewell to you and father and brothers and sisters. I must leave this world. Farewell Julius, my dear son; farewell Joel, my dear son. I want you all to meet me in heaven.

                                                                  Joseph Huneycutt.

To Nancy Huneycutt, farewell, farewell. P. S. I want you to have my funeral preached at Pleasant Grove" I want Columbus Foreman to preach it and to sing "I am Goingg Home to Die No More." This is the 4th of March at 9 o'clock. I must soon be in eternity. I don't desire this but I am not afraid to die. I want you to get all the children's funerals preached that are dead. Nancy, I want to see you one more time if I could but we can't meet any more. I want you and all the children to meet me in heaven.                      Joseph Huneycutt.

Joseph Huneycutt is a 1st Cousin 4X Removed.

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[1] "Condemned Soldier's Letter to His Family", The Messenger and Intelligencer, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina, 8 April 1915, Page 7, Column 4. Hampton B. Allen Library

[2] The Stanly News and Press, July 7, 1961.  

[3] The Monroe Enquirer; Monroe, North Carolina, 24 Dec 1942, Thu., Page 1, Column 2.