2 page letter (1 sheet, front & back) in ink on lined 6 ½” x 10” paper. Fold lines; some soiling, particularly along fold lines, with a few small wear holes.  Some smearing to ink, but writing is nearly all legible.

Letter is dated “Camp Lee, June 7, 1862”, written by Cameron to his mother. Born in 1848, Donal [Donald] Moore Cameron was a 16 year old student and a resident of Orange County, NC when he enlisted on 3/11/62 as a Private. On that date he mustered into Co. G, 3^rd North Carolina Light Artillery. Promoted to Bugler on 11/1/62. On 11/4/63 he transferred into Co. E, 13^th North Carolina Battalion Light Artillery. Reduced to ranks (Private) on 7/31/64. Listed as Deserted on 4/10/65 (place not stated). Paroled 4/27/65 at Greensboro, NC. Cameron died on 9/13/1899 and is buried in Saint Matthews Episcopal Church Cemetery in Hillsborough, Orange County, NC.

Text of letter reads as follows:

"Dear Mother,

I have not written to you for a long time for I was very busy. I hope that you will not be angry with me, though I so deserve it. Tell Sister Sarah that I am sorry that she will not write to me. Tell Sister Anna that I answered her letter, hers and Sister Emma’s both. Tell Trip that I wrote him a letter the other day and hope he has received it. Marsh must write soon to me and tell me all about things. Tell him to take my old gun down to Mister Stroud and sell it. Mister Stroud has been commissioned to buy all the old guns. Tell him to give Allan half the money.

The other day Hal Jones and myself went to Richmond on Company business. When we got through with our business we walked up Main Street when who should we see but Cousin Jim and George Waddell coming up [the] street. We halted them and…George is looking very well. He was dressed in citizen’s clothes. He says that Jack Cameron and … Frank Cameron are both [with]in a half mile of him. You know he is stationed on Drewies Bluff 12 miles below the city.

The armies [of] Johnston and MacClellan are fighting like fury. We can hear the guns day and night – it is quite exciting to hear them. I only wish we [were in] the fight but fate will have her way. Let her rip and old … grace.

June 3.

Dear Mother, I set down to finish my letter of the first. There is no news this morning. We can at times hear the distant boom of the big guns of the Enemy. Our guns still continue to fire regular at the Yankees. Tell Sister Anna that Bill Robson arrived last night and I got hers and your kind letters. Tell her that I will answer it soon.

Give my best love to all and kiss all for me, and God bless you and believe me as ever your ever loving Son,

D.M. Cameron

Ben sends love to all."   [LD]

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