Dear Bet: The Carter Letters, 1861-1863

This is a new edition of Dear Bet, originally published in 1978 and out of print for over thirty years. The book is a window into the daily life of a Confederate soldier and his wife and family in South Carolina during the Civil War. Sidney Carter (1832-1863) was a lieutenant in the 14th South Carolina Infantry from Darlington District (now County), South Carolina. The heart of Dear Bet is the collection of letters Carter wrote to his wife, Ellen Timmons, whom he called Bet, during his service on the Confederate side of the Civil War. Carter was wounded at Gettysburg and died soon after from his injuries there. The letters and associated Civil War documents that make up this book were saved by Carter's daughter and deposited at the Darlington County Historical Society. Additional documents provided in the book include historical maps, military service records and correspondence and genealogical information on the Carter and Timmons families.