Mansel Pinkney Kelley initially enlisted June 27, 1861 in the Flat Rock Guards, which was Co. G in the 2nd Palmetto Reg., serving under Capt. C.C. Haile. He evidently re-enlisted with Hampton's Legion Co. D, where he served out the rest of the war.
This photograph was probably made for his mother when he initially enlisted. He was about seventeen years old.
In the first
months of his service he wrote letters to his friend James “Jim” R. Smyrl, who
had not enlisted yet and was still at home in Kershaw County. The earliest
letters urge Jim to hurry and enlist. That letter is followed by a letter
written after the First Battle of Manassas [Bull Run]. Then letters stop and encouraging
Jim to enlist and instead tell him that he would grow tired of army life.
James R.
Smyrl did enlist in Co. E, 2nd SC Infantry and participated in battles in Virginia and
Maryland. However, he became sick and died of pneumonia in an army hospital on 18 November 1862.
His father went to Richmond, Virginia to bring his body home for burial. Jim
Smyrl is buried in the Smyrl Cemetery in Kershaw County, South Carolina.
The letters
Pink had written him were saved and eventually discovered in an old abandoned
Smyrl home.
April 7th
1861
Mr. James R
Symrl
Dear friend
I seat
myself for the purpose of writing you a few lines to inform you that I am well
and I hope that these few lines may fin you and all of the family enjoying the
same blessings Jim I arrived here on Friday after I left you at Camden John
Sessions landed here last Thursday Evining.
Jim I am
very well pleased with Williamston and with the people also I am boarding with
A very fine man I have nothing of any importance to write to you nothing more
at present give my love to all of the family and accept a good share for your
self you must write as soon, as you receive this letter. Direct your letters to
Williamston Anderson District Sou Car
Give my love
to S. A. Baskins and all inquiring friends.
Yours truly,
M.P. Kelley
Fairfax
July 4th
1861
Mr James R
Smyrl
My Dear friend it is with grate
pleasure that I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you no that I am
well and I hope that these few lines may find you enjoying the same good
blessings Jim I wish that you was heare with me for we get A plenty to eat and
nothing to do I haven’t been in duty but two or three times since I have bin
heare I was out on picket guard last knight for the first time Jim I like it
find and I don’t think thear is much chance of us getting into a fight inless we
advance on them and we dont want to do that we are just acting on the defence
Jim there has bin three little battles in hearing of us and we thrashed them
out every time general Johnson of virginier had a little fight on yesterday
morning in the potomuck river I never herd how many men he had any how there
was four thousand of the northeners Johnson killed four hundred and he had got
thirty killed two of our own men and wounded another by an accident I think
that they will bee a little more particular next time well Jim I will close by
telling you that you needn’t to believe one half that comes out in the papers
nothing more … present but remain your old friend Jim you must write to me and let me no how
you all are write me as soon as you get this for I don’t know how soon we may
move to some other point. Give my love to the entire family and accept the same
for your self your truly
M. P. Kelley
Direct your
letters to M. P. Kelley Minassus V.A.
2nd
Regt S.C. V in care
of Capt C.
Haile
write soon
Camp Gregg
Aug 4 1861
Mr. J. R.
Smyrl
Dear friend
I this lazy
afternoon seat myself to write you a few lines to let you no that I am well
with the exception of a verry sore throat and I hope that when you receive this
letter it will find you and all of the family enjoying good health Jim you old rascal you wont write to me and
if you dont write I will allways think you ought to write to me and let me
heare how you all are I reckon you are
getting on so well with the ladyes that you dont have time to think of a fellow
that is so far from home Jim I written
to you about three or four weeks ago and I havent got no answer atall Jim you mentioned to me one time any how and
tell me how the rock spring girls and you are getting
Well Jim I
will tell you some thing about the times
Jim I have been in two battles since I have been in Virginia the first one was on Thursday the ball opened at half past eleven A. M. and
last until five P.M. when the enemy was repulsed and the Sunday following we
met them again at stone bridge about six mile above where the one was fought on
Thursday the ball was opened at eight oclock A.M. and last until six P.M. when
they was a second time driven back Jim I
wish you could have walked over the battle ground you would have seen something
that you never would forgot as long as you live
you could stand in one place and see hundreds of dead men lying in all
directions and we captured a great many pieces of cannon and side arms lots and
a great many other things such as waggons and horses and provisions ammunition knapsacks
and blankets cloaths and there was Some of every thing that you could mention
and they had several baskets of shampaign..
Well Jim you must tell Mcdonald hardy for me
and tell him that I havent forgotten him yet
I would like verry well to see you all and you must write to me and tell
me if there is any chance of getting that pup
I will close as I havent got any thing more that is worth writing I suppose Mr. Sessions has been out here a
few days ago but I didnt see him. Give my best respect to mack also your pa s
entire family and accept the same for your self
Jim you must write soon to your old friend.
M.P. Kelley
N.B. Direct
your letters to manasses junction 2nd palmentto regt S.C. V
in care of
Capt. C C. Haile V.A.
Give my love
to all and
write soon
Camp Kershaw
Viannah August 23 1861
Mr. James.
R. Smyrl
Dear old
friend I
seat myself
this afternoon to answer your kind letter that I received just a few minutes
ago Jim I was undoubtedly glad to heare
from you and to heare that you are all well
I am well I have had verry good health Since I have been in
verginia the a great many of our men
have had bad health and some of them are pritty ? at present wee have lost six of our company since I have
been heare I reckon you have heard of luit Thomas J. Clyburns death before you
get this letter Jim I would like verry
much to see you all at this time I done
verry well when I first come out heare for all of the men was strangers most
but I have got so use to them till I dont care for their company much Jim you said that you was glad to heare that
I and John got thru the battle so well
Jim I am verry thankful that I got thru without getting hirt and I would
have been much better satisfied if you had have been with me and went thru
without getting hurt Jim I wish that you
was heare with us to spend a few ? with us if nothing else Jim wee have had some pretty tight times
since I written to you before for wee have had to move some three or four
different times and there hasent been more than a half dozen clear days the
hole time—well Jim as I ast you to tell mee how you and The Rockspring girls
was getting on you say that you fly around sometimes and I expect that you do
fly around some time and I expect that sometimes comes pretty often and you say
that you dont go in reach of them but you cant fool me for I know two much
about you for that I know you fly around
pretty extensivaly and I don’t love you for it for I knew full well if I was I
home and and all of the young men was gon I would allmost take posession of all
the young ladies Jim you say that you
saw my old sweet hart S.A.B. and that she has a notion of volunteering and
coming out heare Jim when you see her
again tell her for me that I would bee glad to see her and tell her—that if she
want to volunteer to just come on she will bee verry acceptable as a soldier or
cook or any thing that she wishes to drive at and tell for mee Jim that I think
she might to wright to mee as I wrote to her last and tell all for the girls to
wright to mee I would bee ? to hear from
any person that is in favor of the southern independence that is what I am in
favor of and I intend to have my part while its ? if I live and keep well Jim
you said that Mr. Thomas Sessions spend a week with John after the battle. I
heard that he was out heare but ? get to see him I was verry anxious to see him I havnt had
the opportunity to see John since I parted from you and him at camden I heard
from Jim the other day he is well or was when I heard from him Jim. I know you would like to bee a soldier
awhile but it is like everything else you would get tierd of it yet Jim I am
glad that I can say that some ? our sick men are getting better two of them has
just arrived from the hospital and I hope that some more of them will bee able
to come in camp again before long for our company is quite small
Well Jim as
I havent got any thing of any importance to write I will have to begin to come
to a close Jim you must write as soon as
you get this letter I began to think
that you was knot going to write to mee but since I received this letter from
you I see you have written to me before and I didnt receive you letter well Jim I will close by asking you to ? family and all enquiring friends also
accept the same for your self Jim give
my love to all of the Rocksprings girls. Wright abought means to & answer
this as soon as you read this.
Your old
friend,
M.P. Kelley
Direct your
letters to Fairfax C.H. V.A.
N.B. Tell
McDonald howdy for me when you see him again tell him I am well and in good
health.
Good bye for
this time
Write soon
Camp Kershaw
Oct. 28th 1861
Mr. James.
R. Smyrl.
My Dear Sir.
I seat
myself this morning for the purpose of answering you kind letter which I
received yesterday if found mee verry
unwell. I havent been well for the last week and I am just on a stan but I am
in hopes that I will get on the mend before many more days. I am in hopes that
these few lines may find you and all the rest of the family enjoying good
health Jim I havent got any thing that
is of any importance to write we have fallen back from where wee was when I
wrote to you before bout twelve miles but what it was done for I am knot able
to say and wee moved again yesterday and I expect that if the enemy dont
advance on us this will bee our winter quarters
well Jim you say that McDonald has left and that he taken my watch with
him if it will do him any good and he dont
return it and he may have it and welcome. Well Jim, I will bring this
uninteresting letter to a close by asking you to give my best love to the
entire family and accept the same for yourself
Write soon to your old friend
M.P. Kelly
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