Levi Newton Casey, son of Jesse E Casey, was born in 1827 in Tennessee, and came with his parents to Newton County in the early 1840s. He married Destiny Daniel around 1848.
He was living in Jackson Township, Newton County, in 1850, but by 1860 had moved to Marion County. Destiny died around the time of the move, and he married widow Delilah (Lancaster) DePriest.
When the Civil War came, he served as a private in Company B, 8th Arkansas Infantry (CSA). On Nov. 10, 1861, he wrote a letter to his new wife, which is copied below:
Camp Johnson Benton County Ark November the 10, 1861
Dear Companion it is threw the mercy of God that I am permitted to try to wright you a few lines to let you no that I am well at time and I hope when this comes to your hands that it will find you all well. I received your letter which gave me great satisfaction to hear that you was all well. Jesse Casey got hear this evening and give some satisfaction to hear that you was all well when he left. I [illegible] wrote a few lions in that song ballet I thought I would have time to write more than I did but I had to quit and start up to Missoury. We was gon four days. I thought that mabey we would have a fight shortly but I don’t think we will have any fighting to do this winter so I hope you will not be uneasy about that for the enemy has left Springfield and is gon. General McCulloch is gon out north somewhere and I think when he comes back we will go some where to stay this winter. So the boys is all as well as common. There is two or three boys in the Company sick now but not dangerous.
Lila I want to see you the worst I ever did, you wrote something about our sweet little babey I want to see hit mighty bad give it a kiss for me and I will pay it back when I come. Tell the children I want to see them all and I want them to bee good children and mind you.
Lila I want you and the children to be as savings of the corn as you can for there will bee a call for all the corn in the country and if you have more than you need it will bee worth something to you. I have not received anything yet for my time yet and I don’t no whether I will or not. So I must come to a close. Write a every chance ya can have to send a letter and let me no how you air.
Your Love to mee has been most free
Your conversation sweat
How can I bear to journey where
With you I cannot meet.
Pray for mee. So fare well. Levi N Casey to Delilah C Casey
Sadly, Levi never saw his family again. Ironically, the letter was delivered to Delilah March 7, 1862, the day her husband was killed in the Battle of Pea Ridge.
Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.
