[From the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Friday Sept
19, 1862
Had a company and battalion drill, the
latter under the direction of Capt. Denny. quite
warm to day. Had an excellent dinner of fried ham,
boiled potatoes and beans.
MSS 11293
[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery]
(Sept 19th) Head does not
ache as much this morning. Miss Lizzie retur-
-ned with some very pretty flowers & some fine peaches,
she is very kind to me. Hear various conflicting
reports of the last fights, also that we have with-
-drawn to this side of the Potomac. Mr. Braden
went up to Wheatland this evening, but heard
no reliable news. Family spent evening in my room.
MSS 6150
On the field near
Sharpsburg Md Sept 19/62
Dear Father & Mother
We have been in the front
for several days
have been in two
terrible battles . The
first was on Sunday
last, on the summit
of Blue Ridge We drove
the enemy from his
position with terrible
slaughter We lost in
our Reg’t about 30 kiled
& near 100 wounded
We again met them
on Wednesday and again
lost severely I was in
both engagements but
came out unhurt
I helped take off the wounded
[page 2]
on the Sabbath both
Mark Slonecker & Will Creps
were mortally wounded
early in the engagement
Mark died the same
evening. Will Creps lived
near two days, but died
I cant now learn the
exact time he was
wounded int he head & was
taken back to Middletown
They have commenced the
fight again this Monday
I hardly think our regt
will be engaged but
cant tell
I will write a few
lines to Creps which
you cant[sic] give to him
immediately
I wrote to Sloneckers this
morning I have Marks
money &c in charge
[page 3]
Write soon
Your aff son
J.D. Templeton
P.S. I have written a few
lines to Creps which I
wish you to take to
him I have had but
a few moments to write
and am tired out
You will explain it
to him.
Yours J.D. T.
James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio
MSS 10317
[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Friday, Sept. 19, 1862
Stayed with several
of the boys where the
[train ?] lay after getting
some breakfast
Wrote Letters to
Mrs Slonecker. Father
Creps & Eliza afterward
took my horn & went
in search of the Regt
Went to the brick
Hosp then crossed the
River passed over the
Battleground Saw many
of our Dead
Passed on the road toward
the river. Stopped on
the road side we
slept in a barn on
some straw. Several
recruits came in Wednesday
Sol Leinard came
mostly clear
MSS 10317
Camp Chase, Sept. 19th [1862]
Arlington Hights
My Dear Sister Helen,
I got your last
long letter yesterday afternoon and
one from Campbell with it – but
the envelope of your’s got ripped
first I noticed – Well we are
back to old Camp Chase as you
see by the heading – I wrote you
Tuesday eve as we were packing up
ready to march – which you have probably
received by this time – we had no
Idea then where we were going
but started Wednesday morning across
long bridge headed for Richmond
but when we got as far as our old
camp ground somehow or other
we heard the order – Battalion
File – right – Halt – and there
we were and we haven’t had
orders to go further yet – but
we expect every day to get orders
from Gen Casey to go back to
Washington for he is entitled to
our Regiment as his body guard
and he says that he is going
to have the 15th any how and
if we can’t come back then – he
will just change his Head Quarters
He think a great deal of this
Regt says it is the best one
he has seen – (and he has seen
a few) the troop all call us
“Casey’s pet lambs” and every [-]
very much – there is a great
change in the appearance of things
on the Hights here the ground
is all taken up by troops
there are 30,000 men within
three miles of here – and there
are entrenchments and Rifle pits
between all the forts for miles
there are 5 forts within sight
and plenty more within range
we are within 12 miles of the
Rebels and are in hopes that
they will try to come this way
They drove in our “pickets” 2
miles beyond Fairfax Seminary
and the steeple of it is in sight
Will show you a little how the
Conn troops are situated around us
[Howard here does a sketch of his camp ]
I wish you could be here some evening
and just take a look at the camps
around us when they are all lighted
up – I never saw any thing so
grand – talk about your Atlantic
Cable torch light procession “they ain’t
no where”. It is a perfect ocean
of lights in every direction and the bon fires and
signals from the different forts are gay –
I tell you – and then at bed time
to hear the drums and bands of
Infantry – the bugles of cavalry and
the evening guns of Artillery
It makes a person feell [sic] like
War – We have been out
skirmishing this morning – there
is a Lieut of the Regular Army
and one of Gen Buell’s signal corp
that has got up a new kind
of drill and we are the first
company that have ever tried
it – and he is drilling us
and is going to have Gen Halleck
review us next week and see
what he thinks of it –
[Howard’s letter next picks up in the top margin on page one.]
we are pretty well drilled
already and I guess
that we shall be able
to please (‘old Brain)’
We have great trouble
to get water here
there are so many
troops around here
that all the wells
and springs are
crowded and we
always have to wait
about ½ an hour for
our turn –
We have got our
tents all up now
and things quite [end of writing in margin]
comfortable – there are six in our tent [page 5]
now but we will get rid of one of
them soon as there is a scarcity of
room – I tent with Geo Flinch –
Aaron – Wm Allen and two New
Hampshire boys that worked at Hanover[?]
but I guess they will both leave and
then we will get Eugene Little to
take their places – We sleep in
a bed –spoon fashion, and when one
wants to turn over he gives the order
and we all – about face – we have
very good feed as a general thing
but once in a while we have to
worry down rather tough fodder we
have fresh meat twice a week
soup twice rice twice and pork and
beans (that is for dinner – beans –rice-
salt beef etc just as it happens for breakfast
& supper and we have coffee three
times a day and have had soft bread
so far except once – we manage
to get along if we are there in time
but if we happen to be a little late
we have to suck our thumbs or
go to the sutler’s
Sunday we have
Inspection of arms at 9 oclock
Devine [sic] service at 11 – Dress Parade
at 5 oclock and we have the
rest of the time to ourselves
so Sunday is the day that most
of the letters are written –
the average number of letters
written every day is 300 but on
Sunday there is 700 – we don’t
have much time to write during
the week for what little time
we have outside of drill hours
we have to clean our guns –
eat – and do our washing –
I wash my own clothes and
dishes and have got to be quite
a Housekeeper – tell Biddy that
I shan’t need her services and
that she had better stay in Meriden
for all coming down South
I suppose you begin to have
frosts now don’t you but it
is very hot here except nights
then it is just right – Oh how
I wish I could have some of those
tomatoes – we can get most every
other kind of fruit here, splendid
peaches and water melons are
very pleanty – About those Army
shoes – I dont think you had better
send them as these that I have
are the easiest shoe leather that I
every had on and my feet are
all right don’t trouble me atall
but if I had a pair of slippers
I could wear them after dress
Parade till I went to bed –
Please send the other things at once
and I would like that pair of wollen
stockens that are marked H as
I have lost one pair of my
army ones and have nothing to
change – About that pistol
I will say again that I should
like it but Father can do as
he pleases about sending it
Aaron is going to have his any-
way – Oh Thunder there goes
that “Fall in Co. A” so I will
stop”
Just came in from drill
am tired dusty and thirsty but
will finish this before I do any
thing – The 20th Regt have been
out on Battalion drill just at
the right of us and another Regt
on the left and further to the
left there was a Battery of Flying
Artillery drilling – so you see
we are all awake ready for
the rebels – I had a letter
from Seth a day or two ago says he
is well and that he got my last letter
dated July but had not heard from me
[Howard’s letter continues in the margin (on page 5-6).]
before for most
a year – He
thinks that
he has got
just about
6 months
more to fight
I shall write
to him Sunday
I guess shall
write home
again then
and to Elbe
also – tell
Geo that I got
his long letter
and that I
will answer
as soon as
I get time
I can hear firing off to the right – about in the direction of Harpers
Ferry
I must
stop now
love to all
Your
brother
Jim
James H. Howard, 15th Connecticut
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12668
[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndoon]
19–We have great abundance of
fine peaches. Send for Bet & Henry
20 Henry & Bet arrive looking so
well–We receive them right
joyfully. Charming letters from
our dear Park and from George Minor.
MSS 2563-b
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Friday 19th the Fair came off last night–They appeared to have very little to
sell–I dont think on the fancy table $40 worth–So their money must have
been taken mostly at the door (Entrance money being 25 cts) & at the
Cake & fruit table–as they made $100–all clear–The children are
so elated at their success not thinking when they commenced they would
make more than $20 or $30–That they will open again to night if they
can get enough to put on their fancy table from the Citizens–The money
to go to the wounded & sick soldiers–they will have a supper any how,
just received a letter from Eliza–She will extend her visit –so Liz will
be disappointed in her trip to Pittsboro’ tomorrow. She inten
=ded going for Eliza–I bought at the fair very little–only $2 worth
that sum I intended to give them anyhow.
MSS 6560
[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Friday, September 19, 1862
–This morning cousin Robert presented
himself–In your discussions you
found him on your side & seemed
heartily glad to be backed, but I
must still report that you do all
the talking, & what worries me most of
all is that you do it down stairs for
when we are up stairs or together I
get very little out of you–you
always seem to be in a hurry to
get where every body is–I cant
understand you–I would be perfectly
satisfied to be in a room with you
all alone, let every body else be
doing what they may & if you would
only talk half as much to me
as you do to– all the world
–You may be grieved at this–
I am grieved to write it.
Feel sad–sat up till after
ten sewing on a shirt for you–I
fear I may not have you fixed
comfortably, & still I take but little
pleasure in my work– as I know you
will soon lose your things–It seems
to me your expenses since last May have
been enormous.
MSS 15406
[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Friday 19 Dr. Minor called after break
fast and brought the news of
the morning derived chiefly
from the young officer who accom
panied the remains of Gen Garland
It was calculated to create great
anxiety & alarm–McClellan has
forced Lee from the Monocacy &
Frederick. the fighting was on
the mountains near Boonsboro
and the most dreadful and
the result doubtful and
rather inclining against us.My
heart was sad all day, but the
news in the evening, brought by [?]
from Richd and corroborated by
the Orange train was of a differ
-ent complexion–this struggle
of three days, it is alleged, resulted
in a victory–a great, glorious
and decisive victor of our army
–the victory of the war, and the other
utter route of the enemy–loss on
both sides very great–Jackson–
after capturing Harper’s Ferry
with 10,000 prisoners and all
their stores, [trotted?] his corps
down the Potomack, turned round
the Point of rocks, and fell on
McClellans rear and thus achieved
the victory–Such is the tale-I
devoutly hope it may prove true
Recd a letter from Lanty, dated
last Sunday at Martinsburg, where
he was stationed. He had heard
from Wm the Friday before at
Frederick or in the vicinity–Lanty
has accepted the [detail?] & will be
here in a few days–
The funeral for Gen Garland
took place at our Church at qr [past?]
3. The attendance was immense–There
was a firing party of some 20 odd
members of his late Regt. Mr. K’s
discourse was a very fine one–a
little too private in the personal
part of it and wanting in tact in
some parts. The procession was a very
long one–Most of the business houses
were closed. Went in the evening
to Charles where Eugene and L
Tilghman staid all night
MSS 4763
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Thursday
Sept. 18
Last night I sat on the bow of the boat
with Charles Hall till eleven oclock
enjoying the ride and a social chat. I after-
wards lay down on the forward deck and slept.
We arrived at New Berne about ten oclock all right.
I got a letter from home soon afterwards. We had a
battalion drill and dress parade this afternoon
This evening I wrote a short letter home.
MSS 11293
