Letters from the Justice Collection
at Emory University

(click on the highlighted text for external links to more information)

Benjamin Wesley Justice, born June 10, 1827, in Wake County, North Carolina, was married to Ann Gorman of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 16, 1852.  An honors graduate of Wake Forest College, Benjamin went on to teach at an academy for boys in Tuscaloosa and was cited by the president of the University of Alabama as one of the best teachers in the state. 
          Justice’s education and occupation do much to explain the erudition of his letters.  Those errors that do exist may be the result of faulty transcription or merely indicative of his haste in sending word to his loved ones.
          Upon the death of Benjamin's brother, Benjamin, Ann, and their sons took over the task of looking after the family’s farm on the banks of the Neuse River near Raleigh, North Carolina.      
          When war broke out, Benjamin cast his lot with the fledgling Confederacy, and he was mustered in as first lieutenant of Company E, 47^th Regiment North Carolina.  He was almost immediately made commissary of the regiment, carrying the rank of captain.  He later became commissary of Pettigrew’s Brigade.
          Benjamin survived the war and resumed his teaching career.   He then embarked on a business association with the firm of A.G. Lee & Company, where he remained until his death on September 22, 1871. 
          A one-time corresponding secretary of the Baptist Sunday School Association of North Carolina, he was active in the Baptist Church throughout his life.

A locket-held image of Captain Benjamin Wesley Justice.
Courtesy Special Collections, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University.

The first entry is from a letter dated November 22, 1863, from Capt. Justice to his wife.  This is re-transcribed from a faded transcription; original spelling and punctuation have been retained as accurately as possible.  The webmaster/editor has inserted paragraph breaks for readability, and they do not reflect spacing on the original transcription.

This morning I went with a friend up to Orange to attend Church, the Episcopal.  The motive that induced me particularly was the hope of seeing no less a personage than Pres. Davis, having learned that he came up on the train from Richmond yesterday.  We were at the Church early to secure seats … General Pendleton was seated near in his black robe.  You may remember that I gave you an account of a fast day sermon he preached in the same house last summer.  He is in command of all the artillery in Gen. Lee’s army, & it is related of him that when he gets a good chance at a lot of Yankees & aims his well charged guns with deadly precision, he always piously ejaculates, "Lord, have mercy on their poor souls," before touching the match. 
          Pres. Davis and Gen. Lee entered while the young clergyman was reading a prayer & the comgregation [sic] had bowed their heads.  On looking up, I dsicovered [sic] very near me the well known form and face of Gen. Lee, & on his left the thin bony face that reminds one so forcibly of a postage stamp as to excite a smile.  He was dressed in plain dark citizen dress with a worn brown coat thrown loosely over his shoulders of which he divested himself on rising to take part in the service.  His hair is slightly gray & his hair cut short his face tapers to a point at the chin.  If he were a plain common man he would be called “lanternjawed." His cheeks are prominent.  A very thin beard hangs under his chin … He is evidently careworn & pale from the burden of responsibility & the mental anxiety consequent on his office. 
          By his side sat Gen. Lee, the very opposite of the President in form, features and general appearances.  He is burly & ‘beefy’ & fat.  His form is large & bull & round.  His face is massive in its proportions, his nose slightly aqualine, his hair & beard are in the transition state from gray to snowy, his crown almost utterly bald, the back of his neck full & set, indicating more of the animal in his nature than the lean intellect of President.  He holds a high head & is the very impersonation of dignity & manly power.  It makes one feel better to look at him … He wears a very plain uniform & three stars on his collar are the plainest order.

The ruddy, “manly” appearance of Lee at that time was not a sign of good health.  In March 1863, Lee suffered what is believed to have been a heart attack, and it is likely that he suffered from acute angina both before and after the event.  He steadfastly returned to duty in May, but did not return to wellness for the rest of the conflict.

The Rev. Pendleton (above), who was ordained as an Episcopal rector in 1838, was one of the South’s many “fighting parsons.”  As a battery commander early in the war, he named his cannon “Matthew,” “Mark,” “Luke,” and “John.”   He served as the minister of Grace Church in Lexington, Virginia, from 1853 until his death in 1883.  He is buried in Lexington beside his son, Alexander “Sandie” Pendleton, himself a minister and also one of the South’s great generals.  

August 21, 1863, found Benjamin Justice once again in the Orange Court House area, and he wrote to his wife (once again, spelling and punctuation are faithful to the original transcription, but paragraph breaks have been inserted for readability):

My Sweet Darling Wife,
          Today is the day set apart by our worthy authorities for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer.  The regular exercises of the drill and camp duty generally, are suspended; the offices of the army for the transaction of business are closed; the stillness and quiet reign through the entire encampment.  The gen. commanding issued general orders exhorting us all to observe the day and send up fervent blessing on our afflicted country.  Divine services were held in the forenoon in all the different regiments, battlions [sic], and corps that were provided with chaplains or could procure a clergyman. 
          In company with a couple of nice friends I went up to the village to attend services.  One of my friends conducted me to the Episcopal Church.  Arriving we found the building crowded to its utmost capacity below.  Ascending the stairway that led to the organ and choir, we barely found standing room in the rear of the instrument and singers.  We found the pulpit already occupied by no[ne other in] ability than [our] Gen. Pendleton, the commander-in-chief of all Lee’s artillery.  He is as large and tall as old Mr. Jordan, with rough, shaggy irongray beard, dark complexion, rich, full, sonorous voice, fertile imagination, rapid utterance, easy flow of language.  He read the service and the eloquent, solemn phrases with fine effect. 
          My situation near the choir, the rolling music of the organ, the sweet voices of the congregation, the serious, attentive throng of worshipers reminded me forcibly of the old well known church in Tuscaloosa and the friends I was once accustomed to meet in that dear place.  My soul was melted into softness and contrition by these memories and by the solemn influences of the scene around me and the eloquent, fervent words of the speaker.  His text was the familiar passage from James: “The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.”  He in pointing out of national and individual sins was searching, eloquent, and just.  At the close of the sermon the choir sung a sweet, soft, melting, subduing, soul-elevating hymn. 
          While the services were going on, I noticed a squad of soldiers enter and stand near me.  One of them attracted my attention by the familiarity of his countenance.  A second look told me unmistakably that it was another Woodruff.  I beconed [sic] him to come over nearer where was a better position, and made myself known to him.  He seemed pleased at meeting me and gave me a pressing invitation to call on him at Gen. Rhodes’s quarters.  He is a clerk in Gen. Rhodes’s staff.  ...
        Early this morning commenced reading my Bible in Deuteronomy.  I read the parts of that containing the repetition of the law by Moses and his affectional admonitions and Solomon warnings to the children of Israel.  I read quite a number of chapters and shall resume my reading as soon as I shall have laid aside my writing. 

Justice then describes the emotion that was at the core of so many soldiers' thoughts: a longing for home.

I do not know anything that would afford me more real pleasure now than to spend a week or two at home in the pure enjoyment of domestic happiness.  I think of you all day and night.  I love you all very dearly and long for the time when I can be with you again.  My chief thought is in reading your letters, praying for your happiness and welfare, thinking of the pure joys I have tasted since you were mine, and looking forward to the day that will unite us again when war and all its horrows [sic] are overpast.  My imagination loves to dwell on your bright, sunny smiles, the sweet tones of your voice, the words of endearment and affection which you occasionally bestow on your “Cousin Ben,” on the words and looks and gestures and childish sports of my sweet children, and on the subdued yet pleasant expression of face of Mother. 
          O, when shall I see you all again.  How my heart yearns for home and its sweet association.  How my weary spirit longs for rest at home.  How my soul pants for communion with that loved little circle.  I think of your frugal vegetable dinners, your delicious dishes of tomatoes, onions, okra, snaps, etc.  O how I wish I could eat one of them with you all in peace and quiet and not hear the sound of drums and fifes and the dim and bustle of camp.  Well, home will be the sweeter and the loved ones there be dearer for this long, weary, painful absence.  Time flies rapidly, and I care not how swiftly it flies until it brings the “better time coming,” when peace shall spread her reign over this distracted country. 
          I hope I shall not weary you by writing so often.  I am planning a visit to Montpelier, the residence and last resting place of Madison.  When I return I will write an account of what I may see there.  Much love and many kisses to parents, children, sisters, etc.  Write soon.  A heart full of love to you, my sweet darling. 
          B.W. Justice   

     

The Gen. “Rhodes” to whom Benjamin refers is in all likelihood Gen. Robert Emmett Rodes (above).

The letters transcribed above reside in the Special Collections Department, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University. The collection contains numerous letters that passed between Benjamin and Ann throughout the war years,  and was graciously donated to the university by Capt. Justice’s grandson.