In a March 23, 1861 letter to his children, W. D. Carnes, then president of Franklin College in Franklin, Tennessee, writes of activities at the school.

Carnes comments on an illness that is affecting many of the students. He also speaks of difficulties faced in raising money, but says that "the agents will commence to raise subscriptions as soon as things become a little more calm."

In addition to news of family friends and students, Carnes also tells of ways in which the school is being affected by the impending Civil War. He states that "three of our students took a stampede and left a day or two ago. They were violent Secessionists and left because Tennessee would not secede. They were from Georgia - [They] said that they did not want to stay in a state that would submit to abolition rule."