Col. Newton Davis Redux

As you know I have presented pieces of letters from Col. Newton Davis of the 24th Alabama when we first started this blog, a particular favorite being his young brother-in-law, Little Newt. Anyway, I have recently come in contact with a decendent of Davis and he has shared some family information as well as some other things that will posted in the future. However, at this time I do want to post a prewar picture of Newton N. Davis. So for those of you who like to put a name to a face, here is Newton Davis.

A Little Newt Update

A tiny tidbit to add on Little Newt, I recently went through his compiled service record, and found that he was captured in Montgomery on May 2nd of 1865, so the war ends there for him. Im still trying to find out what happens to him after the war and will post that when I find out.

The Saga of Little Newt continues.

From Newton Davis' letter of Jan. 18th, 1863; "Little Newt is well. I heard him singing very joyiously a little while ago in camp. He takes every thing very easy & heroically. He wrote home for some more clothes by Hoodenpyle. He lost his knapsack and most of his clothes during the last fight. He very thoughtfully put on two full suits of everything that morning and consequently is not so bad off as a great many others. He has enough still to change, but one pair of his pants are nearly worn out."

Little Newt Writes Or "I am tired of cooking and washing on myself."

Dear Reader, Here is another instalment of the Little Newt Chronicles, this one is the best though, one of his own letters that somehow made it into Col. Davis' collection. Woe be to Isaac or Mose.

Camp Near Shelbyville, Tenn.
Jan. 13th, 1863.

Dear Father and Mother;

I seat myself this evening to write you a few lines to let you that I am well. I am not so very well at the present, but I hope I will be well in a day or two. I was in the Battle of Murfreesboro, the grape and cannister shot and Bombs and musket balls fell around us thicker than hail I thought, but as my maker would have it. I never got touched any where with a ball. We was in line of battle 6 or 7 days in the rain and guns was continually firing and shells bursting over us. There was 8 of our company wounded, 1 killed, 1 missing, and our Regt was cut up rite badly. I was not over all of the battle field but the part I was on I think I saw about 5 dead yankees to 1 Southerner. Well Mother and Papa I have such a bad place to write and I am not so well I can't write much. I lost my knapsack again. I put on my grays pants you sent me and another gray coat and dress and 2 pair of draws and 2 shirts and I put the first pants you sent me and the last two shirts all in the wagon, put their knapsacks in the wagon and mine was last and a good many of the boys lost theirs. Bird Hoodenpyle has gone home on furlough and mother send me a coat and 1 shirt and papa sent me a negro by Hoodenpyle. Send Isaac or Mose I want one of them. I am tired of cooking and washing on myself.
Send me a little box of butter and a pound cake or two and unions. Hoodenpyle will not have much to bring and he will bring that for me, I will write again soon. You must write soon. I do want to hear from home so bad and have not received a letter from home since we came through Chattanooga, Tenn. Write soon. So Good-Bye.

N.N. Halbert.

Clothing makes the man...even for Little Newt or Little Newt Wants Everything.

To continue on Little Newt, he would make it through the campaign into Kentucky well, Davis writing on October 22nd, 1862, "We have had a great many ups and downs and suffered deprivations beyond all conception. Your brother Newt is well and has stood the march finely. He looks much better now than he did when we left Chattanooga." However a few days later on October 29th, "Little Newt wants everything. He had his knapsack stolen from up in Kentucky with everything he had except what was on his back. He has not even a Blanket to sleep on. Ira sent him a pair of shoes the other day." But it still manages to get worse, on November 2nd, Davis would report, "I have not seen your brother Newt since Friday evening...He is enjoying good health and looks well. He is nearly naked. He lost all his clothes some time ago, except what he had on his back. I managed to get a double blanket which I gave him. The blanket belongs to Hoodenpyle...Little Newt wants everything. You and Mother can have the clothes made and send them by Lieut. Henry. He has gone home after clothing for the Company."

Little Newt Halbert

As Patrick can relate, one of my favorite soldiers is Newton Halbert of the 24th Alabama Infantry. Newt, as he was called, was not well suited to be a soldier. He comes across as being too fragile for the rough life of a soldier, at least to begin with. I learned of "Little Newt" through the letters of his brother-in-law, Newton N. Davis, later Colonel of the 24th. Davis kept his wife informed about her little brother through the war. Little Newt almost becomes comic relief as you read of his many misfortunes.
Newton Halbert was only 15 and a student in 1860 according to the Census. He was of course still living with his father, Xenophan, who is listed as a farmer in Lowndes County, Mississippi, with $10,000 in Real Estate and $55,000 in Personal Estate, including 38 slaves, with 21 of them being under the age of 18. So Newt would have had a fairly easy life growing up.
The first noticable reference to Newt comes in comes in Newton Davis's letter of July 29th, 1862, "Your Brother Newt is complaining a little. He has been out on picket duty for two days and has taken cold. He complains of his head aching but has no fever. I hope that it is nothing serious and that he will be well in a day or two. He wants you to be certain to tell his mother to send him some shirts the first opportunity..."
I will post more of the misadventures of "Little Newt" over the next few weeks.

Lee