My Own Darling Wife

John Francis Calhoun was a grand-nephew of John C. Calhoun. He entered the Confederate Army in April 1861 as a lieutenant in the 7th South Carolina Volunteers. During the following year of service he wrote “my own darling wife” Rebecca Noble Calhoun at least twice weekly. A remarkably complete collection of around 100 of his letters has survived. Calhoun owned several farms, a tanning yard, and a grist mill in Abbeville District, South Carolina. His letters not only give an account of his life as a soldier, and his concern for his wife and infant daughter at home. They are also a rich source of information about farming, business, and extended family of the time.