Sparrow Warren Civil War Letter

Published Oct 30, 2007 by

ECU Contributor

Filed under:

Source: Guide to the Thomas Sparrow Papers, 1819-1872, East Carolina Manuscript Collection #1

Staff Person: Brian Johnson

Description:

The image below is correspondence written to Captain Thomas Sparrow of the Washington Grays by Dr. E. Warren on July 8, 1861. It is possible that Captain Sparrow never received the letter as he was imprisoned by Union forces in August of the same year.

Transcription:

Portsmouth July 8, ’61

Dear Sir,

It is my duty to inform you that the measles is prevailing to a considerable extent among the members of the Hyde County Company. It is not in my power to so adopt the proper measures to prevent it from spreading among the troops stationed here, and I therefore urge upon you the importance of doing something to protect the men belonging to your company from the disease.

Very respectfully,

Edward Warren MD

Surgeon

Thomas Sparrow (1819-1884) was a Washington, N.C., lawyer until the outbreak of the Civil War. He was commissioned a captain in the Confederate Army in 1861 and served at Fort Hatteras until he was taken prisoner by Union forces in August of that year. After the war he returned to Washington and represented Beautfort County in the North Carolina General Assembly in 1870 and 1881.

This correspondence and much more can be found in the finding aid of the Thomas Sparrow Papers which can be accessed at Manuscript Collection 1

Click on the image to see an enlarged version.

Letter from Dr. E. Warren to Captain Thomas Sparrow, July 8th, 1861