I will list below several letters and transcriptions of them.

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Hd. Qtrs. 13th Miss. Regt.

Near Winchester Va. Oct. 7th 1862

President Davis

Sir

Allow me to recommend Rev. Claiborne McDonald as a suitable person for the position of Chaplain to some post or Regt. in the C.S. Army, if there be any vacancy. Rev. C.M. McDonald is a prvt. in Co. “B”, 13th Miss. Regt. The forefinger of his right hand was shot off in the battles before Richmond, which in a measure disqualifies him for the use of the musket.

Very Respectfully

Your Obedient Servant

H.B. West, Chaplain

13th Miss. Regt.

Approved,

D.M. McRae

1st A Comdg. Co. “B” 13th Miss. Regt.

Approved,

E.B. Cash

Col. 13th Miss Regt

Approved,

Wm Barksdale

My commander

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Recd submitted to the Secretary of War for the information of the President.

W Edwards

11732 Hon. G.W.R. Mr. Misi - M31

Richmond, Va.

Jany. 19, 1863

Asks attention to the case of Rev. Caleb McDonald, Corp. Co. B, 13th Misi Regt., who has served 13 months & lost a forefinger of the right hand during the battles around Richmond, and has been recommended by his Capt. Col. & Brig. for appt. as Chaplain.

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Richmond Jan 19th 1863

Sir,

Rev. Caleb McDonald, Corporal Co. B. 13th Missi. Regt. entered the service in Wayne Co. Missi. as a member of the Wayne Rifles in May 1861, and has continued in it since, now more than 20 months. In the battles before Richmond, he had his forefinger of the right hand shot off, and has been recommended by the Captain of his Co., the Col. of his Regt., and the Genl. of his Brigade, for a Chaplaincy. He is personally known to me, and I respectfully ask the attention of the President to his case, and if there is a chaplaincy to which he can be appointed, I be assured that the President may find his appointment.

Your Obdt. Servt.

John J. Pettus

Gov. of Missi.

His Excellency

Jefferson Davis

President C.S.A.

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Resp[ectfully] submitted to the President, with the endorsement from the Adjt. Genl.

28 Feby 1863

J. C. Campbell

C.S.A.

To Hon. J. G. McRae

Actg. Sec. of War, for consideration when an appt. may be practicable.

J.D. [Jefferson Davis]

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To commutation of rations while on wounded furlough from the 11th of July to the 1st of May 1862. Thirty days at 25 cents, $7.50

I certify that the above is a correct account and that the commutation was made by my order and was necessary for the public service, it being impracticable to take rations in kind.

E. W. Carter

Col. 13th Miss Regt.

Received at Fredericksburg March 17th 1863 from Capt. H. C. Pope A.C.S., 13th Miss Regt. seven dollars and fifty cents in full of the above account.

C. McDonald

[?] Co. “B”

13th Miss Regt.

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Hd Qrs 21st Regt Miss. Vols.

Fredericksburg, Va. April 20th 1863

Sir:

The Rev’d Mr. D. Moore was sometime in Dec last appointed Chaplain to this regiment and has declined the appointment. A majority of the officers present with the regiment have requested me to recommend the Rev’d Claiborne McDonald of Company B, 13th Miss. Regt. The Rev’d Claiborne McDonald has been a private in the ranks, since the organization of the 13th Regt, and has sustained himself as a soldier and a Christian in all the marches and battles in which the Regt has been engaged. I respectfully recommend and solicit his appointment, as a suitable gentleman for the Chaplaincy of this Regt.

Very respectfully, Yr. Obdt. Servt.

V. B. Humphreys

Col. Comdg 21st Regt

Miss Vols.

To Hon. J. A. Seddon

Sec. of War

C. S. A.

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Camp 21st Mis. Regt. near Richmond, Va.

Jan 7th 1865,

Sir,

In obedience to General Order No. 1 Adj Inspector General Office, I make the following report,

I was assigned to 21st Miss Regt. May 23rd 1863 by Secretary of War I am still on duty in the 

Respectfully,

C. McDonald

Chaplain 21st Mis Regt.

To Samuel S(?) Cooper

Adjt Inspector Gen

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I will provide a transcription below and the original images of his notes sent to Claiborne McDonald II in one of his letters.

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Husband. Wife

Children of Samuel D. McDonald

Son Samuel S. McDonald Jr. - Wife Louisa Hottman

John Wife Anna Cole

John fell while working on Williamsburg

Courthouse & broke his neck

They had one child named Sophia McD.

After his death  Me & Mrs. Gregory

raised her she married Dr. Rigsby

[illegible]

Son Alex McDonald Married Mary Bynum

5 children

1 Grand Daughter Ida who lives in Slidell La

Daughter of Alex - Mary married A.H. Hall

Mother of Bessie Howard (James McPherson

Sam & Clay (Mike died early [illegible]

Belinda - Married Bill Bannon [illegible]

[illegible] Dan, Row, Clare Blair, Bettie Smith,

Ella Bush

Effie married Tom Hall - 13 children

one of which was Rev. Evans Hall (Hunter Hall)

Mary married John Sharp

Mrs. (Lucy?) widow of B. Pollinshaw lived in

Slidell - lives with her son Russell Lloyd

Rev. Gus Hall

Jackson Miss

167 Glenmary NV

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Here's a letter exchange between Kenneth McDonald and Claiborne McDonald II. They were contacted through Capt. John Napier.  I need to clean up this transcription as it's not accurate in some areas.

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Mr Claiborne McDonald
419 Main Street
Picayune, Miss.

1. Enclosed find the very interesting reminiscences of your father, the Rev. Claiborne McDonald

 2. Your genealogical sheet (your family)

 3. The blank genealogical sheet filled out with my family

My g-grandfather William (middle name may be Jack) McDonald, St., was said to have been brought to Virginia, what part or date I know not, and then came to Alabama in Old St. Stephens, Washington County (then Miss. Terr.) about 1811. He had a brother John and a sister Elizabeth. John is said to have gone West. I traced one of Elizabeth’s descendants to Selma. She is a Mrs. Dayton Dolenty, her husband is an M.D. and administrator of the Selma hospital. She had made me of the traditional data she had but nothing which helped me. She thinks our McDonald’s lived in present Baldwin Co. (some part of Washington Co. (M.) Ala. between Pine log & Majors Creeks which flow into the Tensaw River before 1820. William, John, and Roben McDonald lived there. I know nothing of Roben, if he is same as Robert or a descendant of both William McDonald Sr & his sister Elizabeth, it seems highly probable that their mother’s maiden name was Julia Benson. A Mr. McGowan who lives in Baldwin Co. Ala. courthouse thinks that the father of William, John, Roben & Elizabeth was named William.

McGowan’s are a sept of the McDonald Clan and Rev. Guy McGowan, pastor of Highlands Methodist Church, B’ham, who is from Baldwin Co, Ala, says that his g-grandfather William McDonald Sr’s, g-grandfather married a McDonald widow (4th John McDonald) buried near Tensaw or Major Creek (I am told). These McDonald’s seem to have been associated with the McIntoshes in Ala.

On the other hand, there were McDonald’s on Buckatunna (spelling?) Creek in present Wayne Co., Miss., evidently our ancestors. I have a court-minute record which shows William McDonald as a witness, at St. Stephens, with milking paid them for 50 miles. This seems related to Buckatunna Creek area & Majors-Pine log Creek area. A deed of gift and an affidavit of my g-grandfather Mrs. William (Elizabeth Perkins) McDonald prove that she was married to William McDonald at St. Stephens on Nov. 3, 1814. Pettus signed it. William, John, and various other McDonald’s at St. Stephens & G’sboro (believe that’s Greene Co.) Ala. about 1818-20, Mr. Gowan says that William McDonald’s Sr. administration papers on file in Lawrence Co., Cl. at Eutaw, Ala. show trips to Co. admin Srater Dugger for trips to St. Stephens (to sell property) there in 1820. He died in Probate in 1827. I lost my father and father came to B’ham, followed a little later by his other brothers and sisters.

It is difficult to trace ancestors through given names of my g-grandfather’s children (the use as only child) or the name. Some for friends and others for relatives. Amongst my father’s brothers who died in infancy were: Sidney, McDonald, A.D. McDonald, The Wars to Donald, and maybe the McDonald’s, The Wars to Donald, and maybe the McDonald’s, and Archibald or Alexander I died. I do not know for whom these were named. It does not do the rest.

Edinburgh, Scotland is not the McDonald Clan area. My g-grandfather and Uncle spent three months in the Europe, including Scotland about 1890-91. Suppose they visited the old home town of my g-grandfather.

In summer of 1894-95, I was not born, but I gave letters to Uncle Calhoon McDonald who never came up again. I have never thought to ask him where they went in Scotland.

There is a Clan Donald Society of America. Write Reginald H. MacDonald, Atty., 525 5th Union Trust Bldg, Pittsburgh, Pa. if you wish to join. I will be glad to hear from you if my data gives you any ideas about our ancestors.

Sincerely,
Kenneth Madison McDonald

For various McDonalds that lived in the St. Stephens area signed petitions to U.S. Govt. etc. Sec. Mississippi Territorial Papers Dr. Clarence Edwin Carter ed. Vol 6-7, etc. pub by US Govt Printing Office. Also Alabama Territorial Records, same.  You can find in one of New Orleans Libraries no doubt.

P.S.  Some Sinclairs, McDonalds & Douglases et als came to Leesburg, Va. about 1746-7 not long after Battle of Culloden May (?) be my ancestors.

How did Hot Coffee, Covington County, Miss. get it's name?
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Dr. Kenneth M. McDonald

2928 Pine Haven Drive

Birmingham 13, Alabama

Dear Dr. McDonald,

I have your recent letter with all that valuable information you sent. I have been trying to get a complete, or as near complete record of my family. I will still have a big job of searching out and putting together the information. Hope some day to have it. Or as near complete as possible.

I have been trying to get the names of the parents of Angus McDonald who came to America when he was about 16 or 17 years of age. Also the complete list of the children of Angus. When completed, if I ever do, I will have what we want.

You asked how “HOT COFFEE” got its name. I am told that in the old days the main road from Ellisville southwest ran through Covington County and that a farmer, who lived on that road, ran a country store and that travelers would stop for refreshments and he a a big sign advertising HOT COFFEE. Later a little settlement sprang up and it was called HOT COFFEE. I am enclosing a newspaper clipping that I cut out and am enclosing. This was in last week’s New Orleans paper.

Thanks again for your nice letter.

Sincerely yours,

Claiborne McDonald, Sr.

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The transcription is below, along with images of the originals.

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February 15, 1962

Capt. John H. Napier, 111,

Maxwell A. F. B. Alabama.

Dear Hack;

I was very happy to get your recent letter. I always thought a lot of you boys. Then too I was so close to both of your Grand-fathers. Your G-father Napier was the first City Attorney for Picayune and I knew him before I came to Picayune. When I lived in Lumberton he did some legal work for the Lumber people I was connected with. Eastman Tate was my neighbor, banker and friend for many years and I have considered his children my best friends.

This Rev. Napier that you speak of, the oldest preacher, and my father worked together in Wayne County and other places in the Methodist Prod. Church. About fifteen years ago I was invited to the dedication of the new Methodist church in Waynesboro. My father helped to organize, build and was the first pastor of that church. I remember, as a boy, hearing my father talk a lot about your G-G-Grand-father Napier and he considered him one of his very best friends. And the others you mention.

After my father died, my sister gave his library to Millsaps College. She also gave the diary my father had of the Civil War in Virginia as he saw it to some State Department. His other records were loaned out and lost and all I have is a few old scrap books handed down to me.

While I was Mayor I fell and broke my hip and leg and have been slowed down. The boys run the business and just sit around and do office work.

Have been working on family history and enjoy it very much but don’t have time I should to make much headway.

I am enclosing herewith a short sketch of my father together with a history of Covington County as he saw it when a boy. Covington County is full of McDonalds and Napiers.

I am also enclosing a Pedigree Chart of the McDonalds, that is our family, for Kenneth McDonald. I am now trying to get the name of the father and mother of Angus and the name of all of the children of Angus. Am beginning to get some help from the Carolinas now and if I live long enough I hope to have more of it.

Tell Kenneth to send me a Pedigree Chart. I need a lot of information.

Sincerely,

Claiborne McDonald, 11

We have in the family a Claiborne 111, and Claiborne IV

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Qtrs 526 D
Maxwell AFB Ala
31 Mar 62

Dear Mr. McDonald,

Many thanks for your kind letter of 15 Feb. I apologize for not answering sooner. However, I have been traveling to visit our AFROTC units at Tuscaloosa & Charleston, S.C., & this has interrupted my correspondence. Week after next I’m going to Los Angeles.

I'm just now sending your material to Mr. Kenneth Mc Donald & requesting him to return the biography & reminiscences of your father which I found most interesting, along with the pedigree charts.

Philip Hawkins (my middle name) & Joseph Olan Napier were my great-great-great uncles, brothers of great-great-grandfather John Creed Napier, but he was an active Methodist layman. His son, my great-grandfather Benjamin Bruton Napier, was married to Martha June Gillaspie, daughter of Rev. Charles Fox Gillaspie, another Methodist preacher. Uncle Phil & Joe (your father’s grandfather, Gillaspie) was also a CSA chaplain (8th Miss. Inf. Regt.), as I see your father was. I've joined several patriotic societies recently. The Society of the War of 1812 where I met K. McD; there's also a Miss. Soc. the Order of Founders & Patriots of America (NY branch), also the Miss. Society of Colonial Wars. I've belonged to S.A.R. & S.C.V. for years. The only reason I've fooled with these societies is to establish the family descent for the record & for any descendants, if Francis & his wife should have children.

I suppose you know the Napiers were Scots originally, too, but the Lowland variety. Dr. Patrick Napier, 10 generations back, came to Va. from Edinburgh in 1655. I notice nearly all the families with whom they’ve married, both English names – Booth, Perrin, Hughes, Gayle, Hawkins, Martin, etc. I think Gillaspie & Tate were probably Ulsterman. I'm afraid I'm rambling on and on.

Thanks again for your letter.
Sincerely,

Jack
John H. Napier, III
Capt. USAF

P.S. Next time you write Ruby Ella, give her my best & tell her that Mrs. Kennedy's trip to Palestine last reminded me of our meeting out there in 1955 at Thule. I don't know if you remember that or not.

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I'm doing a quick transcription of the letters now, but I can already see many issues.  I will attempt to clean them up later. I believe the letter is written by a Kenneth M McDonald to a Capt John H Napier.

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Maxwell AFB, Ala.

11 Feb 1962

Dear Mr. McDonald,

When I was home Xmas I meant to call you & ask you a question or two about your family history that interests me after having read two of the volumes of the history of the Methodist Church in Mississippi which refer to a Rev. Claiborne McDonald back in the last century. I was anxious to do your father a similar question but didn’t get around to it.

What brought it to mind was my meeting a Dr. Kenneth McDonald of Birmingham who preached at a meeting of the Ala. Society of the War of 1812. He asked me for some information which I sent him and I enclosed the enclosed letter since he mentioned your McDonald ancestor in the Mississippi Conference of the Meth. Histories. The Miss. Conf. of the Meth. 1817-39 by W. L. Harriwell, Parthenon Press, Nashville, 1957 perhaps you have Methodism in the Miss. Conf. 1810-1844 by W. B. Jones Parthenon Press, Nashville, 1951. The Rev. Claiborne McDonald as being located on the Bucatunna Circuit. I thought there might be a connection.

My interest in the subject is that there were three members of my father’s family active as Methodist ministers in the same period mentioned frequently in these books, all of whom were your putative ancestors in my father’s line from the McDonell line 1877. They were the Revs. Philip Knobman, Joseph Allen Napier (grandfather), & Chas Fox Gillaniel (G. Gillaniel).

There is so much coincidence and criss-cross among southern families that I was curious to know this Mr. McDonald who was associated with my ancestors, one of yours.

Sincerely,
John Napier
(John Hawkins Napier III Capt. USAF)

P.S. If you haven't bought these books you should get them.  I got mine from the Meth. Conference over in Jackson.

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Capt. John H. Napier
Quarters 526 D,
Maxwell Air Force Base,
Montgomery, Ala

Dear Captain Napier:

It was both kind and thoughtful of you to send me the citation for my great-grandfather William McDonald who was a Corporal in the 15th Regt. of Miss. M. for the Militia of Co. Ferdinand Claiborne of Columbus. He promised to do so in a letter (to) after for these to receive them.

William McDonald (middle name Jackson) according to my father, middle initial "M", (both) remember that we were very little at the time (it) as I remember he, after going to Jackson's Miss. in Feb. 1863, (could/once) (about) the 2nd or 3rd Rept. had the opportunity of seeing in regular battle, the one which had at the time was at Columbus (even Ch. Col). I think William W. attended (Battle of the Holy Ala. River) a few miles west of Montgomery (or somewhere in between the two) and not only (was) to see us, but was (happy) to be able to say we were driving around at the port of Riv. (Poste Risca) and then (proceeded) to do so by taking me to (another) to Mr. C. as we could have (stopped) and have lunch on (both sides).

I have no (further) data on this. I assume William McDonald was present at the above battle, but in may (in) the (explanation of their) part of (the) service during that battle, photo-stated his record for non (work) had two battles. I know nothing of Hugh or Robert McDonald (or their relation) but I think I have seen them in printed records or have (Pub), (vary), (according to research.)

data (from my father & aunts) William McDonald had only a brother James who went west & was an early settler prob. in the period 1810-1860, and a sister Elizabeth whose g-granddaughter is the wife of Dr. Dentyser (Dentysier?), authority, Head of the Hospital in Selma, she had been for several years ago, my grandmother Wm. McD said to have been of Scottish use (after) by, Bill the Virginia By-Bridge, to have been in St. Stephens after. I have proof I think was (found) as per p12-13 (Green's name as having) (Scotch) prob. the only proof (Andrew papers in Greene Co, Ala. (chiefly) his wife, my g-g-mother, Elizabeth Perkins, dau. of John (H?) Perkins who seems to have been at the St. Stephens Merchants, (bought) is buried in Pratsville, Cem. d. 1878. Her will filed & recorded in Jeff.Co., CH. here. Her mother may(P?) have been a daughter of Moses Liddell. It seems probable that Wm. McDonald's mother may(P?) have been nee Julia Benson as this was (custom?) at the time, & on both sides (aunt) also of my g-father Wm. McD's sister Elizabeth mentioned above at Edinburgh is not McDonald a part of Scotland and it is possible that generation was stopped. McD. There were one or two more McD's, this in which Murhrew men. (to have seen list) although most of the Highlanders were Tartans (Mc) There were two groups (or families of McDonald) in which were 1800's was (Maj.) on Pine Log, Cherokee Co., Ga, and of the Tensas (Tengus?) R. in what is now Baldwin Co. (I broke/broke from) the Wm. lived there. He had sons John & Wm (believe) few had brothers, it’s unknown, as a McGarra, McGowins, a Sept. of McDonald clan. I have checked records up to (Hogland’s?) Baldwin Co. Ala, with positive results other than he seems to (sit) from John Perkins to his dau. Elizabeth & her husband Wm. McDonald (where stocks his goods at the day of marriage (Chatham, Wash. Co, Mrs. co. note. (Conf) and data found as said by Minette Baldwin Co. he was not both before the (cousins/causes) of the Northers of the N. with other Scots, families some from Va. settled in Miss. (Ms-G) from Georgia, then Wm lived in Miss. & Baker also resided & was a McDonald’s from Chicago. 1876.

These are g-g-grandfathers are to be related, are said to be gone, have been tried to go to McGowan, McGowins, but took wrong road (then) arrived.

The Col. Joseph Craig made them. My g-g-father Wm. McD was very interest in their letters in my cousin Joseph Craig. There were never (worked) letters from any in connection with the Rebuilding of Eufaula, Ala. Wm. McD was a family of McLeods, had business at Tensas connection. So the (?) was prob. John Wm. (Jr) In the Pines (Pine Log, Cherokee Co. G.) and (careers/learners?) The area being composed of several Co.’s (Wm. McD) of Jeff.Co (Jefferson Co.,) (Pine Log, Cherokee Co.?) there was to see him (burial). The records at (Jp’s) (Xl’s) Wm. Joseph’s sister of mine, are being dealt in Baldwin Co. and are (extracted?) & be called by this name to Josephine Bay Minette. One or two or three of (Wm.McD) family (settled) in the lower Miss. I have her letter to Wm. McD on the family (Nack/Nach). It is (complete), but she explained to me to have all the records transferred from (Grnville) to (C?) Ex. & (information) about the settlement of Baldwin Co. & (Moat/Moore) before (cut).

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