Your most welcom letter was received several days, and I may say
almost weeks ago, and I have delayed answering it—until I am really
ashamed of myself. You must excuse me
this time
and I will promise not to treat you so again. I am well and enjoying pretty
good health. I way one hundred and sixty pounds, and am as ugly as ever but I
dont care any thing for that. To day is Sunday and we have the first recitation
this even[ing] that we have had since last wednesday
3
owing to the death of one of the Professors Dr
Phillips
, (Prof of Mathematics) who left his room on last wednesday
morning as
4
well as usual, and came up to the Chapel to morning prayers and just before the
time came for him to pray he was seen to fall off his seat on the rostrum. the
Professors and a
Page 2
part of the students rushed to
him and layed him down on the rostrum and began to rub him the Doctor was sent
for immediately, but within a few minutes he was no more. I never witnessed a
more sad occurance in all my life, a litter was procured and we carried him
down to his house. his family ware very much surprised for he had just left
them a few minutes before. Both Societys met and then the whole boddy of
students and passed resolutions concerning his death. the
hall
Chapel
was draped and Dr
Hepburn
, (who you heard preach once) at
Old Doc,s) preached his funeral on friday,
5
very good—sermon the best I ever herd it will be published in a few days.
after the funeral was over, the students formed a procession in front of the
corpse and marched to the grave—
Page 3
The whole
body of
the students will wear
6
mour crape for thirty days He was the
senior Professor in College and has been here for forty one years and it is
said that he did not miss half dozen duties during the whole time. The Junior
Class recited to him, and the Fresh and Sophs to his son
Dr
Charles Phillip
but owing to the sickness of his son C. our class the
Sophs had been reciting to him.
Charles
P
– has been sicks for several weeks with the gout and cannot walk
n[ow] so I dont know what we will do for a Professor on Math. I received a
letter from
Andrew Britton
the other day. he said that
Old
Dock is very feeble indeed that he had not been out of his Study this
Session. He likes the school very much. he is undecided yet whether he will
come here or go to
Page 4
the
University of Virginia. We have only ninety four
[students] in at this time and as the Session is nearly half out I dont think
any more will come in.
Dr
Swain
(the son of
the
President Gov Swain
)
who deserted our army, and went over to the
yank
7
has returned to
Chapel
Hill he makes himself quite sociable, but is not respected only by his
friends his Club mates— I heard from home the other day all were well. As
the bell will ring in a few minutes for recitation on
Bible I must
close. excuse all mistakes &cet.; Write soon to your Brother,