| | 81 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription]  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write you afew lines this sabathmorning which will inform you thatmy
self and brother are both well and
getingon finely, and much hope this may reach
you in due time and find you all injoyingthe
same greatblesing, I have no news of
importance to write to you,
we have takenaverry hard
march sence I wrote to you before
we were marching ten days in
succession, we got to this place last
thursday
eavning. I have no
idie how long we can stay here
we are under marching orders now. we have to move as the enemy moves, it
was thought
that thay were
going toatact us yesterday thoughthaydid not. thaycame over last tues dayand gave ourcavilry averry hard fight
thay
faught nearly all day.
took our men on seprise and got the advantage
an the start, though our men drove
bac across the river at last,
thaytook some prisners and
horses, our men took between three and four
hundered
pris ners, I dont
serpose thay made much
by that move,
thayhave
bin sendingthair
cavilry
throug through the country to steal and
destroyevery thing
can,
thay take all the negroes and hossesaway with and burn the meat
corn wheat and flour
thay can find. I have bin
to several houseswharethe
yankees had taken every
thay had. you all think you
have great deal to see trouble about though you have nothing
campared to those that live near the line of
the enemy,
the yankees is getingtoo
mean to live, I
thinke
thay are depending altogetherapan
them selves forthair
inde pendence, and we all know that
is a poor dependence foreney people todepenapon, I still live in
hope of peace soon though I may not live to see it, | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 82 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write you afew lines this morning which
will inform you that my self & brother are both well and geting on finely.
and I much hope this may reach you in due time
and find you all injoying the best of
health and all other
blesing, I have no news of importance to
write,
we have bin near
Chambers Burg
for several days. and I
reaconwe will stay several days longer, we have quite a nice time sence we have
bin
Pennsylvania
in the way of something to eat we can get plenty
of milk & & butter and apple butter
that is verry good
the citerzens in this country all seem to
be afraid of us
thay treat us verry
kind
though I beleave it
is don through fear
the most of our Virginia boys treat them verrykind though
thare is some of our extream southern troops has
treated the people badley I am sorry thay do so.
it is against ed
Gen
Lees
orders to interrupt private prop erty,
this is a verry flourishing
looking Country the crops all look fine. the country has
it has never felt the affect of the war, though I guess if we stay here long it
will feel the affect of it,
our quater masters & Commisarys has goten
agreat
meney
nesarys for our army sence we have bin in this state | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 83 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write you afew lines this eavning in answer to yours of the 23 of June which I
received to day
and you may be asured that it afford
me great pleasure to hear from you all once more. it had bin more than a month
sence I had herd from
home,
this leaves my self and
brother both well. and I much hope it may reach
you in due time and find you all
injoying the best of health and all other
blesings, we have had a verry
hard time sence I wrote to you before both
marching and fighting to do,
we went in to
Pennsylvania and stayed for some time and had
a hard
Battle Near
Hagerstown
Getys Burg
it commenced on the 1 day of July and continued
until the night of the 3 day, and then both armys
fel back with great
loss,
we went in the 3 day and got nearly all of our Devision killed & wounded I hope thare was not another Devision
in
Lees
army that suffered the loss that
Picketts
[2]
did,
Gen
Picketts
lossed every
Brigidary
Gen that he caryed
in the battle
too killed and one taken prisner
nearly all the
officers in our brigade were killed & wounded. we lost our Col one of
the best men in service. he was a good offeser and he was good to his
men
Thay all loved him, our
Lt Col lost one of his arms at
Mal vin Hill and got the other one
seriously wounded in the Battle the other day
[3]
I guess you will see a list of the
killed and wounded in the papers which will be more correct than I
could gave you.
thare was 35 men went in the battle in our
company and thay was only 15 of them cam out fit for duty,
My self & Jon come
through safte are we not luckey
ah we have bin so far
thay was a ball pased
through my sleeve though it did not hurt my arm, me
and Jon came verry near being taken
prisner on the day of the battle
I told him when I saw that we
were nearly surrounded I told Jon that we would run and try to get
away from them and we made our ascape by doing
so, while several of our boys that was with us let the Yankees take
them.
we have taken a great many of the
Yankeys
prisners . our Devision
brought some five or six p thousand of them
to this place, I hird
that the
Yankees papers stated that thay
lost forty thousand killed at the battle at
Gettysburg,
I hear of a small battle nearly every day and I am expecting
another big battle every day. though I don't
think
thay will put our Devision
in,
our brigade is on guard in this town, the citerzens of the town seem to be in favor of
the Yankees
mostly, | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 84 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923, and Booker, John, 1840-1864 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write a few lines
illegible
in ansur to yours of the 16
inst
[1] which come to hand in due time, and Ill
a shure you that I were glad to here from you all an to here that you wer all well, I had be gun to think that you
had for gotten me
Or had written an I had failed to
get your letter, tho I ser
pose you had nt
writen on account of going to preachen,
thare fore I wreaken you are excusable for not not
writen
sooner,
this will in form you that
through the mer cies of a kind Providence, My self
an James are
Both permitted to live in the enjoyment of good
health, and I hope this will find you all enjoying the same great blesing, I wer glad to
here that you all had, had
such a good meeten at Hermon
[2] I wish I could have
b
bin
thare with you all, I can here
a some
Good
Preachen here but I cant
enjoy my self like I could at
Hermon | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 85 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I seat my self, this beautiful
sabath morning for purpose of responding to your
kind favors of the 23 & 28 of Sept. which I received several
days ago, and would have answered them amidiately though I expected to have gon
home soon, and thought that I would answer them in purson as I am such a sorry hand to write , Though it was my s
mis fortune to be in
formed that I could not go yet a while, I took it for my share
and contented my self as usial, I think a soldier aught to be
satisfied to do as well as I hav
bindoing for the last few days. have a plenty of some thing good
to eat and a good apitite to eat it. that is good enough for
any body in war times. though
you know it is not natrial for human
being to be satisfied
the better thay get. the better
thay want. and the more thay
get. the more thaywant, And thare is non of them that knows how to appritiate a blesing until after thay are deprived of it, I
know this by experience. for when I was
permited to injoy the
comforts of good home and kind frends on everry side of me.
I was not satisfied. I wanted to change
my base of
operrations, thought that I could do better than what I was doing
ther,
O if I should ever be permited to injoy such comforts again. I
would know how to appritiate them. (God grant
that I may) Again I say it is not nartrial for
us to be satisfied, though I injoy more comforts
than I am worthey of, yet I am not
satisfied. I thank God that I have bin spared and
permited to injoy
such great blesings while so meney far better than I am have bin cut
down by both desease & the enimy. I have bin
permited to pass unhurt and
injoy
exerlant health, after all this I am not
satisfied. I think that I would be rather better satisfied if the
speculaters were all presed
in to service so the poor women and children could
get some thing to eat with
out paying five times the worth of it,
if thare is any thing
to sell, a speculater is after it, faster
than a hawk after a chicken, it would not do
for me to have my way with them,
thare is no news in this so I will hush it, unless I could say some thing
better about them. I dont
beleave thare is any news in camp of importance
everry thing seems to be verry
quiet a bout here
Gen Corses
[1] Brigade has came
hae here. thay were
sent to Tennessee when we first stoped here. thay say thay had a verry nice time while thay
were gone they did not
loose but verry few of thair men,
our Chaplin has bin
verry
un well for several days though he is proveing now hope he will be well again in few
days. I dont
think I have ever told you his
name it is R.W. Cridlin
[2]he is a verry nice young Baptist minister,
I got a letter from sister
Benson[3] this
morningthay were all well, accept
Johe was at home complaining
though I dont sepose that he was verry bad off. she said he was
going to see his sweet heart. John is gone to the cook fire to make a slise potato pies. I wish you
were here to take dinner with, I see a good meney Ladies
pasing about camp, the married men are sending
for thair
wifes and boarding them with the citerzens around camp, I wrote to
sister Mary the other day and for got to tel her that we did not nead any clothing. we drew a
new suit the other day
anddont
nea want any clothing from home atal
every thing you all sent in the box came
safte I am under many obligations to you all for
send ing us such a finebox it was a great treat to us, I will closes for the presant
youmust write me soon and gave me all the
news | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 86 | Author: | Booker, John, 1840-1864 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I ll take the presant
op potunity
portunity
of answering your kind letter of the 10
inst[2] which came to hand a few days
a go
you
dont
no what pleasure it was
afforded me to receive your letter an
here that you all
wer
gettin on well. I am sure thare is nothin that affords me more
plesure than to recieve a letter from any
of my frends or relation
at home. but
its
sildom I get a letter I had
bin
exspectin a letter from you too or three weeks before I received it I
wreaken I will have to excuse you this time far not
writen sooner an hope that you
will doo
beter next
time. this will in farm
you that my self
an Brother are both well an
much hopeing this will reach you indue time and
find you all injoying the same great Blesing and all all other
Blesing that home can afford, we have some sickness in camp now which come from
exposure I wreaken. Flem Gregory[3] has bin quite sick for the last four or five days. he has the pnuemonia
but is not dangers I dont
think, he is something better
today, he is all the one that is sick in our company an I hope he will bee
soon up
Plese excuse bad Writin
and Spellin for it is very Badly dun
Christmas is close by and I se no chance for me or
James to get home. I would like the best in the
world for one of us to get home by Christmas if we could and I think
one of us was to get a furlough and if the officers would doo
rite we would get one. but
if they can get g home whenever they pleas they dont care for us, I havent never applide for a furlo
but James have bin after one
an
cant get it started, I
beleave if Capt Herndon
[4] would start one for him he would get it but he is Just
too lazy to write it
out,
thare
is ent
a nother company in the regt but
wh what gets more furloughs than our company doo and I dont
be leave
its anything else but because
John Herndon
wount
dont
start them, I wreaken
the next time we orgune
Organize the armey we had
better
all bee
Of ficers or privates one for thare is too much dif farence
made in them,
Capt Herndon expects to get another
fur lough soon after Christmas to go home but if
I had it in power he would not get one til the
last man in his company get one. We are here now dooen
nothen in the wa world not eaven
pickett duty and my oppenion the most of the men that dont get
fur loughs
be fore
thare three years are out will go when thay are out
thay say so any how,
Plese
I dont mean to say that I will go home but
nearly all the men say they will if they
will
dont
call out all the men that have put in substitute
an furlough all the old soldiers that have bin out so long, I am a posed to desertion as much as any
boddy can bee but I say put every one on equal foottin for this is a rich mans war an a por
mans
fight,
[5] I be leave
thare are some of the men that have but in substitute are dooen a great eal of good but the most of them are doo en more harm than good
they are just speculaten
on the poor people, an
soldiers, I must stop a
bout the soldiers for I wreaken you think
I am going the other side of
my self, I dont think think
thare will be much Christmas seen here this time
but I hope you all will have a good time, I exspect there will be a
weding near you in the Christmas
Memory Inman[6]
starts home in the morning on furlou to get
marred I hope he will ge
have a good
time, I exspect he is going
to take Miss Mary
Fullar, I dont
no, I will stop James
& cousin Thom Joins me in love too you all, you must write
soon an give me all the news, no
mamare | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 87 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I was verry glad to hear of the cavilry
catching some of those worthless boys that are sneaking about trying
to keep from doing
thair duty. I hope thay may
suceed in catching all of them and send
them to the
Penitentary to serve thair time thare for
thay are not account at home and a
great eal
less here. so if thay
will put them in a lott and put a over seer
off over them to make them work thay do more good that way
than eny
other, if
thay were to bring them here thay would run way a gain | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 88 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write you afew lines this eavning which will inform you that
my self & brother are bothe well and I much
Hope this may reach you in due time and find you
injoying the best of health and all other
blesing, We have had a
verry still Christmas un til
yesterday the last day we were caledout to Stop the enimy though fortionately for us thay
were stoped before we got
verry far from our camp, the
Yankees atacked our men at
Green ville
N.C.
about (35) thirty five miles from this place, our
men drove them back. I havent
hird the particulars about the fight, though it is
reported in camp that the yankees took one company of the 57
Va. Regt
prisners I dont
know wether it is true or not, I am verry glad thay
whiped the yankees back without our having to go down
thare, for the roads were
mudy and it was raining the most of the day, it is mostly clear to day and
verry
bloustry, it has bin
warm the most of the time sence we have bin
here it is much
pleasenter here than it is in northern
Va
and every thing is much cheaper, we
can buy potatoes and turnips here for
(3.00) three dollars per bushel by going 5 or
6 miles from camp, the most of the citizens
in the country seem to have a fine
chance of pork in fact everry thing is more plentyful
here than it is in
Va
whare the army has bin,
we have got an awful bad name sence we have bin here, the soldiers dont like the
N.C.
nor the
N.C.
dont like the
Va.
soldiers,
some of the soldiers does act verry
trifling it is enough to make any body mad with
them,
thay will steal, some
times thay go out and steal potatoes and
hogs, the
Gen sent an order here the other day for the
men all to be turned out on the parade ground and then search thair
houses,
thay did not find but
verry little meat in our Regiment though
thay found good eal in the 53
Regt I think thay
found two (2) whole hogs in one company; I hope the thiefs will be sevierly punished for doing so and I guess thay
will
the man that had the meat in our
Regt has
desirted
sence he was caught in his
meanness I expect he will go to the yankees,
he was a verry trifling fellow at his best I think any man that will steal like thay did aught to be whiped with a cow hide, I
have said enough about the rags[2] unless I
could say some thing in thare favor and it would not do for me to say too much about
them I might be caught some time
my self,
Some body stole upwards ($18 000)
eighteen thous end dollars from the QM of our Regiment a short time ago the soldiers were charged with it and I
expect some of them got it
thay was an old Lady
who lost a skillet of soup last night and she
came a round
to day
searching the soldiers houses for it She did not find it in our Regt She went to the
53
Regt I haven't hird
wether she found it or not
it is reported that Gen Barton[3]
said that his Brigade was composed of rags and thiefs for they were rags before thay left
home, I think he had better make some acceptions or mind how he talks ani, if he only new it is
not healthy for him to gave
honist people such a bad name because some men does
wrong, well
thare is no news nor interest in this to you so I
will stop it, | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 89 | Author: | Booker, John, 1840-1864 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I take this opportunity of responden to your most kind an
interresten letter of the 10th of last month which was so long coming to hand I had be gon to think that you had given out writen to me any more. or
had written an I had failed to get your letter. tho I serpose
your letter wer on the road longer than it ort to have bin, I wish I
had some good news to write you. but have nothen of interest to write. I believe the helth of the soldiers here are
very good
tho they all seem to be lo
sperited. They think the time is draw- en
ny when they will be cald
erpon
a gain to meet thare
ine myes on the field a
gain. an to think that thare is no relief for them but that they have got to still remain
in the
field, they have bin
try en to get the men to reinlist for the war an thare have
beena great meney of the men reinlisted The
Govenour[2] came
out the other day an made us a speech an tride to get the men to reinlist for the war, an when he had
quit speeken the Colonel had us all in line an then had the Cullars
cared to the front andthen
told all the men that he wanted all who wer
determen to be freemen to step out on the
line with the cullars
andall who wer
willen to be slaves for thare
enemyes to stand fast anI
wreaken
thare wer a bout one third of the men went
on line with the
cullars
andthe rest stood fast,
I dideant inten to reinlist nor I
wes not willen to be a Slave for my enemyes
and I
dident go on line with the reinlisted, and I dideant wish to
bee in eather line. Colonel
Cabel
[3]
new very well that
thare wer
nun of the men that thort
thot any thing of
them selves ar thare Country that wer willen to becom Slaves for
thare
enemyes. The colonel thot by telen the men what he did he would get all the men to
come on line with the Cullars
an be considered reinlisted. but he faild to get
them, tho thare have a great meny of them reinlisted
sence the officers thinks if we will reinlist it will have a bad er fect on the yankees. tho they have
past a bill to hold us in service andI dont no what good it
will dood for us to reinlist I am of the opinion that
if we wer to reinlist
it would have a bad effect on our leaden
men,[4]
it looks like our leaden
men thinks wee are willen to stay an fight all the time andnever
get tiered, an I beleave that as long as we will stay here anexpress a willinness
to stay here our leaden men will ceep the war up, I be leave that we mout have hud
piece
be fore this time if our head leaden men would would have tride,
when the enemy offered to make a complemise our men wount
here too it, so I am not in favor of reinlisten
tho all that want to doo so
I am wilin, I can bee
just as good a soldier without reinlisten as I
can with it. far I be leave
that we will all have to serve
any way without we desert and
that I never want to doo as long as they will treat
me like illeg. officers orte to
treat men, tho they are fitten a very good way now to make men wars
stil
dissatisfide than they are now. by given
the reinlisted men furlows first. I am due a furlow
now andcome next for one in our company by rights
but because I did not reinlis I get cut out of
furlough. anthey are due me a furlow for reinlis in sixty too, for thirty days
which I have never got, I refused to rein list this time an all of
our company did exsept two an they are both recrutes which is in
for twelve months longer any way, one of them
ha never bin in ranks
sence he be long to the
company he has bin acten as comimasary all the time an the
other one deserted the first time we went in to
Mary land
summer be fore last be
fore the serrende of
harpers farry
an stade at home a bout
fifteen months at home. and then came an joind the scitry
Betalion in Richmond an got
a fur low an went home
an wer er rested an Broat
Back to our company, this man now
reinlist thinken it would make his
cart marcial go a little lite er with him, gets a furlow an goes home be fore I doo that have bin here an
dun my duty all the time as a soldier art
to have dun doo you think thare is any justice in such a way doo en,
as tha I tel you thare is no justice in it, I went
up an give the
Col a talkin a
bout it last nigtn, and if he dont give me a fur lough be
fore he des this deserter I wil
bee very much
er temp er
to tel him what I think of him an take a discharge, I be
leave in the for thing al
ways if they wir not given no fur lows I could stay here
an nor think hard of it but when they a are given
furl
an it comes to my time I want it,
I will stop this chat for I wreaken you had
rather here som then elce that is more interrestin
Thare have bin a good eal of exsite ment here
to day
a bout the yankees makin a rade
below here be teen
Hanover Junction and
Lieueasia CH
and have bin
tar ing the track up
Thare have bin a continuel
canonaden down that way all day to day
an they have sent all of our Brigade from here
exsept our Regt
an a large potion of it is on
Pickett we have orders to be ready to fall in, in
a minute to Prevent ar rade,
Shouldent be serprised if we dont have to leave before day,
you wished to no what they had
don with
Curt Inman[5] he he
wer left at
newbon
I serpose he got
be hand the nigh we left
thare
an wer taken Prisoner
Some of the fifty third said he wer broken down I dident see him that night I saw him a few minutes before we
Started Back,
Memory Inman[6]
wer cart marcialed an his
sintance
wer to doo Po leas duty for his Regt one hour each day for seven days an the Cart said it
wes thus lenient on him on acount of his good conduct
be fore, he havent had to doo any of his duty yet
an I dont reaken he will
have to doo any of it, I hope not
Lin Cary Brown I have never herd any thing from him exsept what I herd from home, he never has come to his company yet, its
all together a mistake about his
comen to his
Regt at
Kinston
if he had of come thare I would have
herd som thing a bout it far we wer all rite
together
Capt.
Jno A. Herndon got a thirty
days furlow to go home to get married I reaken he is going
to take a Miss Beavers,
as my paper is nearly fild I
will have to stop I hope you will not think hard
of this letter for I have bin mad all day an could not write what I wanted to write, I dont exspect
you can read this last page I have wrote it by fire ligh, an thare wer so much fuss I could not rite | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 90 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | I write you afew lines This
eavning which will inform you that my self and brother are both well and geting on verry well. and I
much hope this may reach you in due time and find you all in
joying the best of health and all blesings that our kind Protecter sees fit to
bestow apon you all. I have no news of importance
to write. we are having a verry still time now in camp. though
I am fearful that it will not
remain so much longer if wether keeps open. I
think the spring campaign will soon commence.
and then we poor soldiers will see a hard time. though if it is the will of God for us to suffer why should we
complain when we know that he knows what is the best for us and will
do nothing but for the best. I feel thank ful
that I can cheerfully submit to his will If it is
the will of my maker for me to be cut
down in this war I dont ask to be spared for I
beleave that he will do what is the best for
me, thare is but few things that I would ask to
stay in this
trouble some world for,
one great consolation to me is that if I am cut down, I have a hope of
a better time in the
future whare thare is neither worries and troubles
thay was another lot of our prisners got to Richmond yesterday
paroled from northern prisons I havent
hird of any of my acquantance that came through with them infact I havent hird of any
Virginians that came through this time scearsley, I hope that
thay will parole all of them
soon, I have hird that two of our Co. D had taken the Oath of iligeans and joined the yankee
army. thay keep our men
thare in thier prisons and
treat them so badley that thay become so dissatisfied. thay
had almost as
live die
as to stay thare then thay will get them to take the Oath and jian
thier army, though if it is the will of God for the South
to over power the North.
thier swindling will not avail them any thing in the long run, it may make the war continue some longer. though thay will
see that it will do them no good, | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 91 | Author: | Booker, James, 1840-1923 | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair [a machine-readable transcription] | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bookerletters | | | | Description: | It is with much pleasure that I embrace the present
oppotunity of responding to your kind and
interesting favor of the 17th
inst which came to hand in due time and
aforded me much pleasure to hear that you
were all well. I and would
have answered it amidiately though we had to
go on picket and I thought that I would wait until we came
bac to camp. and may be I
would have some thing new to write so I
have though it is not verry good if it is true, It is reported that Yankee is coming up the peninula I do
not know wether thay are coming in
force or not. or even wether
thay are coming atal, one of our men
were at a fishery about 20 miles below here yesterday he said that
thay were
expecting the Yankees thare when he left, it
maybe just a squad of cavalry aiming to drive our
men from the fishery. I havent
hird
any thing from thare this
morn ing, I hope the next time I hear
from thare to hear that thay are
all rite again. the 53
regt[1] has
bin down thare fishing for some
time, we have drawn fish one time since thay have bin fishing and I
guess will draw more soon if the Yankees dont
drive our men from the fisherry, some of
our men in camp has bin
cacth catching a good meny
fish lateley with hooks I
have caught
verry few my self, though I
guess it is my own fault be cause
I were two
lazy to fish for them, we are having beautiful
wether now for spring also a verry nice time in camp much nicer than I expected
some time ago. I made sure that we would have to fight
before this time. our army and the Yankee army are geting
verry close
to gather
in Northern Va I dont think that it will be many
days before thay
havewill have a
fight, thay had a small skirmish
yesterday morning with cavalry I beleave it is generally beleaved that the Yankees are going to do thier best for Richmond this campaign I beleave
that this campaign will decide the war hope it may
we have bin
verrysuccesful so
this far this spring and I hope and pray that we may
continue to be succesful this summer and
end this cruel war in our favor, We rec
yours and sisters[2]letters of the 24
inst
sence I comenced
writing verry glad to hear from you all though
verry sorry to hear of Martha[3] being sick much hope she
is well before this time, also
verry sorry to hear Ucle of
Uncle Drurys
sufering
with his caugh I much hope it will not pester him long,
[4]
well I beleave that I have
writen enough for the present so I will
close
hoping to hear from you verry soon
Gave my best respects to Uncle
Drury and the rest of the family also to Jennie and her family and til them all to
write to me as I am allways
anxcious to hear from them, | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 93 | Author: | Bitner Collection: Cressler, Alex | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bitnerletters | Henry Bitner letters | Bitner collection | Letters written to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Description: | I have been somewhat dis- appointed in not seeing you
up here to see the men playing soldier, and now since
Gov. Curtin is expected here tomorrow, (Saturday) I
will feel sure that you are coming, and look for you, my but they do look pretty, Just
come and see. Three Regiments were in yesterday afternoon and make a long line of
people, who with their glittering bayonets under the rays of the shining sun,
accompanied by their Bands, or marshal
music, and the heavy and steady tramp of three thousand men, make all who stand and
look on, feel, that they are not soldiers, all this can but give a very faint idea
of the appearance of one hun- dred and fifty thousand human
beings marched into the field of battle by the warming and thrilling sound of almost countless drums and Oh! what, or who can describe
the feeling of that immense congregation of human souls when the sound of the booming
cannon first disturbs the quiet of that breast and paints death and destruction all
around. We may try to form some idea of the scene presented by a battlefield, both
while in the actual contest and after, but can never, in my opinion, realize the
horrors of such a sight until we ourselves behold it, and such; humanity forbids us from
wishing. May it never be seen in our land, but may the
Flag continue to wave over the land of the free and the home of
the brave. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 94 | Author: | Bitner Collection: Cressler, Alex | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bitnerletters | Henry Bitner letters | Bitner collection | Letters written to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Description: | Yours of yesterday was received in due time and being fully digested I embrace
this privilege of writing to you again. I was sorry to hear of your
disappointment on Saturday last, and can only measure your feelings by imagining
what mine would have been under corresponding circumstances. Saturday was a
day of interest and satisfaction to me having never seen the like before, when I
cast my eyes along the line, which was formed along the one side of the street,
with arms presented and beheld the field of bayonets elevated above the heads of
thous- ands, and the Governor of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which is the Key-stone
of the Arch, moving steadily and silently along that line, with his penetrating
eye firmly fixed upon them, and his countenance remaining unmoved and
apparently speaking of the condition of the Country and the object for
which so many sons of labor had been called together, I was led to exclaim, "who
can tell what a day may bring forth." From a
person who came from Williamsport Md. yesterday we learned that two Regiments of Secessionists
had come there and by yesterday's Tribune, that the plan is to come on
through until they reach Philadelphia, in order to get
provisions, should they attempt to carry out that design, we will have a
bloody time here, and you may be sure the men here will give them a breakfast
job at any rate, and I hope Shippensburg and the Pines will, by the time they reach you, have their 10
O'clock peace ready for them and see that every man gets his portion due.
This is to much to trifle about, as it may be their design, however I am not yet
uneasy, but should they come it may be that I might never see you again let
come what will, I expect to be prepared for the worst that can happen to me. The citizens of
Chambrg.
are calm, and do not apprehend an attack from the rebels from the
South. I have not in my imagination marked out the plan by which the present
troubles may be settled, but find that the opinion of some is that war is
the only remedy. if such be true then the Northern boys
must go to the work, and what could be more cheering to the hearts of freeman
such as we are, than to see that the whole north will
move to the
work, as one mighty machine none of the
parts being wanting, but all complete, and all of which have been tried in
the days of '76, and found to be as true
a steel, and since the fall of Sumpter it has been greatly strengthened and now is the Greatest
Structure, and most
complet machine under the Canopy of Heaven, and when
it begins to move forward upon the foe, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific,-every part
reveling in grandeur and might, not being driven by steam, but the hearts
blood of million, and the smiles of Heaven, although moving slowly, its tread
will be the surer, and long before it reaches Cape Sable,
secession will be crushed out of existence, and like a
mighty cloud, it will rain Union sentiments on every farm and plantation south
of Mason's and Dixon's Line. Let us start the ball rolling, and
send seces sion to the place from whence it came,
you will now allow me to tell you a little anecdote, which I heard a few
days ago Mr.— A said "that it has often been his wonder what the D—l tempted people to sin for that their sin could not make
him any better," when Mr.— B
said, "Don't you know that he is a secessionist -that he was the first to
seceed from Heaven, and consequently the father of secession," —more truth
than joke — This is a day of sweet recolection to me, being the 21st day of
May. "Rather let my right hand forget her cunning and my tongue cleave to
the roof of my mouth," than for me to forget my hours of unalloyed peace three
years ago at old
Stony-Point,
Those were the happy hours of my life. And I
hope the Friend I there formed may be my friend for life — would to
God that all who participated in that season of refreshment might be able
to say — My labors there have not been in vain, I hope you will
let your mind run back to that era in your life and call to memory the hours
that you with me and many others spent there. Henry dear remember then. I am looking for you this week; dont forget to come. I have been interupted a great deal while writing this, so that you will find
some trouble in reading it. write soon I if it is not to much trouble, I sometimes
think that I am imposing on your time to ask you to write but I cant help it no person else will write and I am very glad
to hear from the pines. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 95 | Author: | Bitner Collection: Cressler, Alex | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bitnerletters | Henry Bitner letters | Bitner collection | Letters written to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Description: | Yours of the 22nd ult. was received in due time,
but not answered as soon as its demands required, but "better late than
never." "so here
goes." In my last I spoke of the sight presented in our streets, but since that
time things have changed considerably, and the scenes presented in our streets
on Friday and Saturday of last week were quite a different aspect reality be
stamped on every move. On Friday five companies of Cavalry, the heroes of Sumpter (except
Maj. Anderson), four Regs. of troops, accompanied by their bands and
followed by their baggage wagons, which make a peculiar rum- bling noise, this Brigade was six miles long (Capt. McMullens
Philadelphia Rangers were in the crowd.) You may and can
only imagine what the effect of such a
scene would be, the sight was the most sublime that I ever witnessed, the bands
of music with numerous fifes and drums,— the heavy tread of about forty wagons, all conspired to bewilder
the undrestanding and render vague all our
preconceived ideas of war. The movements of Saturday were not quite so imposing,
but for the cavalry it they would have been equally grand.
Sabbath approached finding our citizens in a state of uproar &
confusion, cars were running an screaming — men were
working wagons were moving through our streets from morning till night and
citizens were on a continual parade. truly such scenes, such sabbaths, and such times, were
never before ours to behold.
Uncle Stumbaugh will in my opinion leave very soon, but
when I do not know, but think, to night or tomorrow,
if you should happen to see any of our folks and it is not to much trouble, you
would oblige me by telling them, that if they want to see him that now is
the time,
Isadore has been confined to bed sick for several
days and doesn't seem to improve much, and I fear that he will not be able to go
along with his fellow soldiers. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 100 | Author: | Bitner Collection: Donely, Thad | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | UVA-LIB-Bitnerletters | Henry Bitner letters | Bitner collection | Letters written to Henry A. Bitner | | | | Description: | I take this oppertunity to write you a few line as I told you I should when I got to the sacred soil of Old Virginia. I came here on last Saturday 2 week had no
trouble getting through as the weather was
whe had a pleasant trip took the
boat at Washington for Aquia
[illeg.] Saturday morning got to camp about 8 o'clock in the
evening it is 17 miles from the landing at Aquia
to Fredericksburg. Their is a RailRoad from the creek
up whe came up on that whe are
camped about 3 miles from Fredericksburg
[illeg.] laying along the river yesterday. I was out on picket. I had
a right good time I would just as soon be on picket as in camp
if whe could have some arrangement for sleeping whe are just now cooking Dinner whe have
some potatoes and parsnips that I got in a garden when out
picketing I think it will make a fine dish.
Whe have to manage a great many way to make hard tack and salt pork
keep one alive fried crackers and crackers hamered
up and cakes made out of them is the principal living I tele you I wish I had some of the siders and apples
that are in Cumberland Co.. I could
do well their is not an apple to be had I seen them sell at Aquia Creek at 7 Dollars per
barrel and retail at 3 for a Dime the regiment is Small
at this time their was a good many killed and
wounded in the last fight and since that a great many have taken sick thoes sick have ben sent of
all here are prety
well and the health of the men has been good since the sick have been sent away I have been well much better than I could have expected
just coming from home and going into the hardships of camp
whe I came here the boy had just to lay Down on the ground with out even a blanket some of them it was rather hard [illeg.]
Whe have since got shelter | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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