MARTIN R. McDONALD LETTERS (And additional McDonald Data)
Posted October 23, 2001, Up-dated October 19, 2016
Two letters written during the Civil War by Martin R. McDonald were found among Richmond County Court Records at N. C. Department of Archives and History. Transcribed by Myrtle N. Bridges
Martin R. McDonald, Esq., brother of the late General R. S. McDonald, died at his residence in Mineral Springs Township last Tuesday of cancer of the liver, aged about 51 years, leaving a wife and several children.
Martin (b. October 1, 1830 d. September 15, 1885) is buried in Sandy Ford Cemetery in Richmond County.
United States Prison, Johnsons Island, Ohio 1864 February 23.
My Dear Bro., This morning finds me enjoying very good health. I have nothing new to write you, the same routine of drawing rations, cooking and eating them is our daily business. When we look out we see nothing but ice, all the time. The weather has moderated and is now quite pleasant. It reminds me very much of my own Spring mornings, only we do not hear the birds singing. There was a lot of prisoners sent from here week before last, about 320 men. They went to Point Lookout [Md.] They have reached their destination safely and are well pleased with the change. There is nothing said about sending off any more. William Covington was one of the number. Ugley Daniel's son James Chappell is in good health. Let me know whether our old neighbor Walter Lovin does not live in this State and his address and I will let him know of the death of his father and brother-in-law. Give my love to Judah and the children and my sisters. Do the best you can to keep things moving. Let me know how the girls are doing and what arrangements they have made for this year. Give my regards to Starling Gibson, M. D. Bethune, Dr. McFadgyen and all my old neighbors. Tell Uncle Nat and Riley "Howdy." Your Brother, Martin R. McDonald.
United States Prison, Johnsons Island, Ohio 1864 October 9.
Dear Brother, I have written you several times since I last heard from you, and once to sister Mary. I do hope you will write to me often. My health has been rather bad for some time, but I am now on the mend. There was a lot of officers sent from the prison last week for exchange. Also another lot about three weeks since. They were all crippled and sick. Lieut. Emerson will go direct to Chatham County., N. C. and will write to you, also Major Moore of Lake City, Florida. The articles I have sent for may be too troublesome for you to send, but if you could send them through, that would be very acceptable if it would not be too expensive and take too long to send them. The things requested are clothing, particularly under clothing and socks, also something to eat if you possibly can send it. Send that [which] will be most convenient to you. Our State, I understand, has a supply of cloth for the officers which is quite cheap. If you could send me enough of that for a suit I could have it made up here in prison. I think I can get all the trimmings if you can send the articles. Attend to it soon or let me know on the receipt of this. Give my love to the children and my sisters at home. Your Bro., Martin R. McDonald (Source:) Misc. Records CR 082-928.6 NC Dept of Archives, Raleigh, NC
Charlotte Home and Democrat February 3, 1882 Mr. A.L. McDonald, of this town, received a telegram from his brother John C. McDonald, at Galveston, Texas, announcing the death of their father, Gen. Randal Scott McDonald, which occurred in Louisiana last Saturday morning. The dispatch did not state the cause of death. Gen. McDonald was a native of this County, and for a number of years served as Superior Court Clerk.-Rockingham South. Charlotte Home and Democrat February 3, 1882 We regret to learn that last week, the aged mother of our townsmen, Messrs. W.P. and E. A. McDonald, who resides with one of her sons, on Cartledge's Creek, some 7 or 8 miles North of this place, fell and dislocated her hip, and otherwise so injured herself that her recovery is considered doubtful.-Rockingham South. The Robesonian. volume (Lumberton, N.C.), 30 May 1910 Mrs. Martie McDonald Singletary, about 20 years old, died at the Thompson hospital Thursday night of typhoid fever. The remains were taken Saturday morning to the home of the father of the deceased, Mr. Randall McDonald, about 10 miles east of Lumberton, and the interment was made in the family burying ground near the home. Services were conducted by Mr. E.G. Freeman in the absence of Rev. P. Weiss, pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle church, of which the deceased was a member. Mrs. Singletary was the wife of Mr. Clayton Singletary, an employee of the National Cotton Mills. Besides her husband and father she is survived by an infant daughter 14 months old. Watauga Democrat. (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.), 15 Dec. 1892 Desperate Work of a Masked Assassin Sanford, N.C., Dec. 3rd.-News has just been received here by a special messenger of the most terrible tragedy known in the history of Moore county, which happened in Pocket township about fifteen miles from Sanford. Randall McDonald aged about 70 years, and two sisters aged 75 and 83 years, all unmarried, resided together. Last night about 7 o'clock some one knocked at the door, Mr. McDonald opened it and an unknown man entered and made for a gun standing in some part of the room, at the same time drawing a pistol from his pocket. He picked up the gun and demanded their money, and deliberately shot dead the older of the two sisters with the pistol, the ball entering the forehead just over the eye, then shot the younger one, the ball entering through the nose and passing out through the back of the head. She fell with her head in the fire, calling on the assassin to save her from the fire, which he refused to do, her her bonnet and her hair being burned. He robbed Mr. McDonald of what mopney he had and made his escape.
Return to Men in Confederate Army
Return to Richmond Co. Home Page
Return to What's New in Richmond CountyThis page created October 23, 2001
Revised October 19, 2016