This small lot contains four wartime Confederate documents, one post-war letter written by a Confederate veteran and a tin box with a note stating that the relics found inside belonged to Thomas McConnell McCutchen of the 4^th South Carolina Cavalry.

Thomas M. McCutchen was born in Williamsburg County, South Carolina on April 5, 1828. He was the oldest son of Dr. Hugh McCutchen and was described as “a true type of South Carolina gentleman of the antebellum days.”

On May 1, 1862 McCutchen enlisted as a private in Company I of Rutledge’s Regiment of South Carolina Cavalry that would later become the 4^th South Carolina Cavalry. The regiment would serve in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida until March of 1864 when it would join the Army of Northern Virginia. McCutchen was present throughout this time and on September 12, 1863 he was elected 2^nd lieutenant of his Company and in December he received a 15 day furlough.

The 4^th South Carolina saw its share of the fighting during the 1864 campaign at Hawes’ Shop on May 28, 1864, Cold Harbor on June 3^rd and Trevillian Station on June 11^th. In the latter battle McCutchen was wounded to an undetermined degree.

On June 13, 1864 he was moved to the General Hospital at Charlottesville, Virginia and on July 7^th was sent to Kingstree, South Carolina to await a furlough. When he returned to duty is not known but he is shown as being present through August 31, 1864.

The last muster roll in McCutchen’s record is for September and October 1864 and reads “PRESENT. SICK IN QUARTERS.” Since the roll covers a two month period we don’t know exactly when McCutchen became ill but it may have been due to his participation in Wade Hampton’s famous “Beefsteak Raid” in September of 1864. The 100 mile ride netted over 2000 head of cattle for the Confederate army as well as capturing 11 wagons and 304 prisoners. McCutchen could have easily become ill on the raid and took to his quarter’s afterward.

Though the military record stops here we know from McCutchen’s obituary that he served through the end of the war.

After the war McCutchen returned home and devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. In 1876 he was appointed county auditor, a position he held for several years. He raised seven children and was a life-long member and elder of the Indiantown Presbyterian Church.

McCutchen died on November 17, 1898 and is buried in the yard of his church.

The first item in the group is a wonderful post-war handwritten letter by Confederate veteran Samuel F. Massey who served with McCutchen in the 4^th South Carolina. The letter is dated October 22, 1900 and is addressed to Thomas McCutchen’s nephew, Hugh. The letter reads in part:

MR. DAVIS HUTCHINSON OF ROCK HILL GAVE ME YOUR ADDRESS THAT I MIGHT FIND OUT WHETHER MR. T. M. McCUTCHEN IS ALIVE AND HIS ADDRESS. I WISH TO WRITE HIM ON BUSINESS.

HE WAS A LIEUTNENNT IN CAPT. SNOWDEN’S CAVALRY COMPANY 4^TH S. C. CAV IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WE SOMETIMES RODE TOGETHER. I HOPE HE IS STIL ON THE TOP SIDE AND BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH FOR A BETTER SOLDIER NEVR DREW A SABER…

Massey then goes on to give a closing salutation and signs his name. The letter is written in period pencil and is very readable. Across the top in pencil in a different hand is “ARMY RECORD OF T. M. McCUTCHEN.” Letter meas. approx.5.00 x 8.00 inches with a 1.25 x 1.25 notch torn from the top left corner, but this does not touch the text. Paper has one vertical and two horizontal fold lines.

The first of the wartime documents in the group is a pre-printed document filled out in period ink. It is headed “MEDICAL DIRECTOR’S OFFICE” and dated “JULY 7, 1864.” The document is printed on brown paper and meas. approx. 8.25 x 3.00 inches with numerous crinkles and several folds on the surface. It states that 2^nd Lieutenant T. M. McCutchen of Company I, 4^th S. C. Cav. is being transferred from the General Hospital at Charlottesville, Virginia to Kingstree, South Carolina to await action of his commanding officer in regards to a 30 day leave of absence.

The next document in the group is a yellow sheet of paper approx. 7.00 x 7.75 inches. It is preprinted and filled out in period ink and is headed “CERTIFICATE RECOMMENDING EXTENSION OF FURLOUGH.” It is dated July 29, 1864 and requests an extension of Lt. McCutchen’s furlough due to an “unhealed gunshot wound to the back.” The document is then signed by three doctors. Document has one horizontal and three vertical fold lines. Edges of the paper have minor wear with some surface crinkling throughout. There are also two small holes along the central horizontal fold but these are minor.

Also present in the group is a pay document that is also preprinted and filled out in faint period ink. It is dated Charleston, S.C. September 12, 1864 and states that Lt. McCutchen of the 4^th S.C. C. was paid $630. Document is printed on white paper that has browned a bit from age. It meas. approx. 8.00 x 4.00 inches and is in nice shape but does have several vertical lines from being folded and placed in a wallet.

Next is a hand written receipt done in period ink on a scrap of blue paper. It reads:

“RECD CAMP BUTLER  A. N. V. NOV 29^TH 1864 OF LIEUT. T. M. McCUTCHEN TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A DARK BAY HORSE, WHICH I WARRANT SOUND AND GOOD PROPERTY.

(signed) W. B. LOWRY

COL. 11^TH MISS

DAVIS BRIGADE  [ad]

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