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"Far, Far From Home": The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, Third South Carolina Volunteers
In April 1861, Dick and Tally Simpson, sons of South Carolina Congressman Richard F. Simpson, enlisted in Company A of the Third South Carolina Volunteers of the Confederate army. Their letters home--published here for the first time--read like a historical novel, complete with plot, romance, character, suspense, and tragedy. In their last year of college when the war broke out, Dick and Tally were hastily handed their diplomas so they could volunteer for military duty. Dick was twenty; Tally was twenty-two.
Well educated, intelligent, and thoughtful young men, Dick and Tally cared deeply for their country, their family, and their comrades-in-arms and wrote frequently to their loved ones in Pendleton, South Carolina, offering firsthand accounts of dramatic events from the battle of First Manassas in July 1861 to the battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. Their letters provide a picture of war as it was actually experienced at the time, not as it was remembered some twenty or thirty years later. It is a picture that neither glorifies war nor condemns it, but simply "tells it like it is." Written to a number of different people, the boys' letters home dealt with a number of different subjects. Letters to "Pa" went into great detail about military matters in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia--troop movements, casualties, and how well particular units had fought; letters to "Ma" and sisters Anna and Mary were about camp life and family friends in the army and usually included requests for
much-needed food and clothing; letters to Aunt Caroline and her daughter Carrie usually concerned affairs of the heart, for Aunt Caroline continued to be Dick and Tally's trusted confidante, even when they were "far, far from home."
The value of these letters lies not so much in the detailed information they provide as in the overall picture they convey--a picture of how one Southern family, for better or for worse, at home and at the front--coped with the experience of war. These are not wartime reminiscences, but wartime letters, written from the camp, the battlefield, the hospital bed, the picket line--wherever the boys happened to be when they found time to write home. It is a poignant picture of war as it was actually experienced in the South as the Civil War unfolded.
Well educated, intelligent, and thoughtful young men, Dick and Tally cared deeply for their country, their family, and their comrades-in-arms and wrote frequently to their loved ones in Pendleton, South Carolina, offering firsthand accounts of dramatic events from the battle of First Manassas in July 1861 to the battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. Their letters provide a picture of war as it was actually experienced at the time, not as it was remembered some twenty or thirty years later. It is a picture that neither glorifies war nor condemns it, but simply "tells it like it is." Written to a number of different people, the boys' letters home dealt with a number of different subjects. Letters to "Pa" went into great detail about military matters in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia--troop movements, casualties, and how well particular units had fought; letters to "Ma" and sisters Anna and Mary were about camp life and family friends in the army and usually included requests for
much-needed food and clothing; letters to Aunt Caroline and her daughter Carrie usually concerned affairs of the heart, for Aunt Caroline continued to be Dick and Tally's trusted confidante, even when they were "far, far from home."
The value of these letters lies not so much in the detailed information they provide as in the overall picture they convey--a picture of how one Southern family, for better or for worse, at home and at the front--coped with the experience of war. These are not wartime reminiscences, but wartime letters, written from the camp, the battlefield, the hospital bed, the picket line--wherever the boys happened to be when they found time to write home. It is a poignant picture of war as it was actually experienced in the South as the Civil War unfolded.
- GenresNonfiction
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 25, 2025
Book Review: Far, Far from Home – The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson
Far, Far from Home is a moving and deeply personal look into the lives of two brothers from South Carolina—Dick and Tally Simpson—who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. What makes this collection so unique is that these letters were not written years later with the benefit of hindsight; they were written in real time, penned from camps and battlefields by soldiers living through uncertainty, hardship, and fear.
The letters reveal the day-to-day struggles of camp life: inadequate food, harsh weather, illness, and the constant discomforts that came with military service. Through Tally’s vivid descriptions, we see not only the suffering but the perseverance. One of the most memorable passages recounts the massive Confederate snowball fight in January 1863—an unexpected moment of joy and camaraderie in the middle of a brutal war.
Knowing Tally’s fate casts a long shadow over the entire book. He writes so often of wanting to return home, to be with his family, to put the war behind him. His words are filled with hope, faith, and dreams of the future. Yet we, unlike his family then, know what awaits him. When the narrative finally reaches the letters announcing his death at Chickamauga, it feels heartbreakingly real—even though history has already revealed the end.
One of the most touching and tragic aspects is Tally’s affection for a woman he never met, a budding love that remained forever unrealized. His longing for a normal life—a family, a future, the simple comfort of home—stands in painful contrast to the violence and loss surrounding him.
Far, Far from Home is not simply a historical document; it is a testament to humanity in wartime. It reminds us that behind every regiment and battle were young men with hopes, families, humor, and heartbreak. This book allows readers to see the Civil War not just through the lens of strategy and statistics, but through the eyes of those who lived—and died—far, far from home. 4.8/5.0 stars
Far, Far from Home is a moving and deeply personal look into the lives of two brothers from South Carolina—Dick and Tally Simpson—who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. What makes this collection so unique is that these letters were not written years later with the benefit of hindsight; they were written in real time, penned from camps and battlefields by soldiers living through uncertainty, hardship, and fear.
The letters reveal the day-to-day struggles of camp life: inadequate food, harsh weather, illness, and the constant discomforts that came with military service. Through Tally’s vivid descriptions, we see not only the suffering but the perseverance. One of the most memorable passages recounts the massive Confederate snowball fight in January 1863—an unexpected moment of joy and camaraderie in the middle of a brutal war.
Knowing Tally’s fate casts a long shadow over the entire book. He writes so often of wanting to return home, to be with his family, to put the war behind him. His words are filled with hope, faith, and dreams of the future. Yet we, unlike his family then, know what awaits him. When the narrative finally reaches the letters announcing his death at Chickamauga, it feels heartbreakingly real—even though history has already revealed the end.
One of the most touching and tragic aspects is Tally’s affection for a woman he never met, a budding love that remained forever unrealized. His longing for a normal life—a family, a future, the simple comfort of home—stands in painful contrast to the violence and loss surrounding him.
Far, Far from Home is not simply a historical document; it is a testament to humanity in wartime. It reminds us that behind every regiment and battle were young men with hopes, families, humor, and heartbreak. This book allows readers to see the Civil War not just through the lens of strategy and statistics, but through the eyes of those who lived—and died—far, far from home. 4.8/5.0 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
obviously very devestating and educational in the sense that it provides much insight into the thought process of the young men who served for the confederacy. it was interesting to see the way that tally specifically processed the war as it continued as well as the many side quests he participated in at camp. i found it funny how increasingly irritated be became when his family members did not send him the 20 or so clothing items he very adamantly requested over his time in the service. i just know he was incredibly uncomfortable in those hole-ridden boots. rip sir.
February 18, 2021
A unique insight into the the day-to-day of camp life during the Civil War as well as the thoughts and fears of the soldiers.
October 30, 2014
A tremendous addition to Civil War primary sources. A well annotated, gripping account of the war and it's impact on young men who fought.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews