Robert Boyd Papers, 1861-1871

The Boyds were a farm family from the Diamond Hill area of Abbeville District, South Carolina. The head of the family was a widower named Robert Boyd, who was born in Ireland ca. 1800. The collection includes letters written by Boyd’s five sons: Daniel, William, Robert Pressly, John Thomas, and Andrew while serving in the Confederate Army. Daniel, Pressly, and Andrew Boyd served in Co. D, 7th South Carolina Infantry. William Boyd served in Co. G, 1st South Carolina Rifles (Orr’s); John Thomas Boyd served in Co. G, 19th South Carolina Infantry. Of the five Boyd brothers, only Daniel survived the war. There are also letters by a son-in-law, Fenton Hall, who served in the 6th South Carolina Cavalry (Aikens Partisan Rangers). William Boyd was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gaines Mill on July 27, 1862. Robert Pressly Boyd was killed near Harper’s Ferry in September 1862, at the beginning of the Maryland Campaign. John Thomas Boyd was killed at Murfreesboro on December 31, 1862. Andrew Boyd was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864 and died on May 30. Fenton Hall was killed in a skirmish near the coast of South Carolina in July 1863.

Archive: 
David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Duke University

Letters

Displaying 1 - 25 of 62
ID Letter Datesort descending Author Recipient From To
10726 Boyd1 May 14, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd John Thomas Boyd Barnwell County, SC
10727 Boyd2 May 21, 1861 Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Barnwell County, SC Abbeville County, SC
10728 Boyd3 May 25, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Manchester, VA
10730 Boyd4 June 15, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Manassas Junction, VA Abbeville County, SC
10731 Boyd5 August 4, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Mary Jane Hall Vienna, Fairfax County, VA
10732 Boyd6 August 8, 1861 Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Vienna, Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10733 Boyd7 August 20, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Richmond, Richmond County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10734 Boyd8 September 10, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10735 Boyd9 September 22, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10736 Boyd10 October 24, 1861 Robert Pressly Boyd John Thomas Boyd , Andrew Boyd , Sarah Catherine Boyd , Robert Boyd Centreville, Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10737 Boyd11 November 11, 1861 Daniel Boyd , Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Centreville, Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10738 Boyd12 January 9, 1862 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd , Sarah Catherine Boyd Centreville, Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10739 Boyd13 January 14, 1862 Daniel Boyd John Thomas Boyd Centreville, Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10740 Boyd14 February 18, 1862 William B. Tucker Robert Boyd John's Island, Charleston County, SC Abbeville County, SC
10741 Boyd15 March 26, 1862 John Thomas Boyd Robert Boyd , Sarah Catherine Boyd Abbeville County, SC
10742 Boyd16 May 1, 1862 John Thomas Boyd Robert Boyd Mobile County, AL Abbeville County, SC
10743 Boyd17 May 11, 1862 John Thomas Boyd Robert Boyd Tishomingo County, MS Abbeville County, SC
10744 Boyd18 May 18, 1862 William Boyd David Murdoch Spotsylvania County, VA
10745 Boyd19 May 18, 1862 William Boyd Robert Boyd VA Abbeville County, SC
10746 Boyd20 July 2, 1862 Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Fairfax County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10747 Boyd21 July 3, 1862 John Thomas Boyd Mary Jane Hall , Fenton Hall , Sarah Catherine Boyd Tupelo, MS Abbeville County, SC
10749 Boyd22 July 6, 1862 Robert Pressly Boyd Robert Boyd Henrico County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10750 Boyd23 July 22, 1862 Robert Pressly Boyd Fenton Hall , Mary Jane Hall Richmond, Richmond County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10751 Boyd24 August 1, 1862 Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Richmond, Richmond County, VA Abbeville County, SC
10752 Boyd25 August 18, 1862 Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Abbeville County, SC

Get in touch

  • Department of History
    220 LeConte Hall, Baldwin Street
    University of Georgia
    Athens, GA 30602-1602
  • 706-542-2053
  • admin@ehistory.org

eHistory was founded at the University of Georgia in 2011 by historians Claudio Saunt and Stephen Berry

Learn More about eHistory