Letter of Mary B. (Mrs. Nathan) Beauchamp to Mrs. Mary A. Monroe

Contributed by Gary Hawley

Note: The Beauchamp family lived in an area which was in Lee, Union, and Pontotoc Counties at various times. They moved to Pontotoc County in late 1860, and in 1861 eight sons went off to war for varous Mississippi infantry and cavalry units. One of the eight sons was 2nd Lieutenant William Lafayette Beauchamp who was killed in action at Berryville, Virginia on 3 Sep 1864. The archivist for Clark County, Virginia Historical Association found the letter as she was going through some old papers. She noticed that the contributor was researching this family and offered him a copy of the letter. The letter was written by Mary Bennett Beauchamp, the contributor's great great grandmother, to Mary Ann Monroe of Clark County, Virginia. In the letter as he lay dying, William expressed concern for his brother whom he thought was killed in the same action. The brother was Sebron Jackson Beauchamp, our contributor's great grandfather. Sebron went home and became a circuit-riding Primitive Baptist preacher. He died in the pulpit in August 1909. The archivist noted that there are 66 additional Mississippi soldiers buried in Stonewall Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia.

Page 1 Image | Page 2 Image

Mrs Nathan Beauchamp
Ellistown Pontotoc County Miss
Sunday April the 29th 1866
Mrs Mary A Monroe

My Dear Stranger friend, for Such I shall call you, as none but a friend would condescend or take it upon them to write to stranger at such a distance concerning one of so limited acquaintance as our dear lamented William Lafayette Beauchamp was to you and to write of the particulars of his death and burial, permit me madam to say to you in answer to your very kind and expressively friendly letter that we are wanting in words and with the pen to express the gratitude and debt of love we owe to you for the friendship manifested to our dear deceased son for well do I know that no parent raised a moore dutifull and moore amiable son than William L he was universally liked and esteemed by all that knew him, but his goodness and amiable qualities could not save him from a seemingly untimely lamentable death but he has only died to live again for such was his Christian walk for several years that I am assured that his Soul now rests with the Savior and by the grace of God I hope and expect before long to meet him in heaven where the way of wicked men cannot reach and parted parents and children can meet to part no moore and if there is any such thing as an introduction I think that W L. B. will gave me an introduction to you if so I then can express moore fully the debt of gratitude I owe to you for I feel that few strangers would have wrote as you have. We are here in Mississippi and you in Virginia, and in all probability I may never see you and hear your sweet conversation of my son but your

pg 2
Mrs Nathan Beauchamp
Ellistown
Pontotoc County
Mississippi

letter leads me to believe that you have made your calling and Election sure, and I hope by the grace of God to live such a life as when I close this mortal life, I may wear a crown of life and glory now my dear madam in the conclusion of this letter I will say that I have no chance at present to give you any information about Lieut Sweeney as Holly Springs is fifty miles from where we live and but little passing here to there but I will in due time make the necessary inquiry and I learn any thing concerning will gladly communicate to you all I can learn I could say many things that would assure you of the obligation I am unto to you for the inteligence and particulars of Lieut William Beauchamp, for his superior officers has told his friends that a braver nor better soldier never faced a foe, and now in conclusion me to say that I will hold the name of Mrs Monroe as ever sacred to the memory of the mother of William L Beauchamp but before I close will to you that his youngest brother was not killed as he heard, out of eight, seven was restored to their friends alive MNB it has been several days since I commenced writing this letter and have met up with Leut Joel Lewellen of the same company of WLB and he informed me that Lieut Phillip Sweeny was wounded at the Fishers Hill fight and died of his wounds, that is all I can learn of him, now in conclusion I will say may the choicest of God’s blessings attend you through life and finally you may find a home in heaven. Adue

Mary B Beauchamp to Miss Mary A Monroe