Camp fifth New York Regiment Sharpsburgh Oct. 4th 1862

Mrs Leavitt—Dear Madam Since the Battle of Manasses in which
it was Gods will you Dear Husband should fall, the Regiment has been constantly
on the March & we have not had the chance to write you the sad event untill
after we had sent a detail to bury the dead & collect the wounded, we all were in hopes
that he would be found among the latter, the detail did not return until we
were on the March to this place,when we learned the truth that your Husband
together with many of our brave Companions, was numbered with the dead, it
was impossible during the Terible confusion, of that dreadful Battle to give any
attention to theose dead that fell therefore his last words were unheard, & by his
wound he must have been Instantly killed, they being in the head, one of his own
company (Michael Warner by name) with his own hands buried him in the best
manner possible, under the difficulties of such an occasion, Sad as this bereavement
is to you, it will perhaps be A source of consolation to you to know that his loss is severely
felt by his Company, he was beloved by all of his associates, & by the strict discharge
of his duties as A Soldier, won the confidence of his Officers had he lived, he
would have rapidly advanced in the line of promotion, he had already started
upon, but Man Proposes, & God disposes & it was his will that your Husbands
name should add another to the long list of Martyrs to the cause of Justice & Freedom
with Great sympathy for you in this bereavement I am Madam, truly Yours,
Gordon Winslow Lieutenant Commanding, Company F, Fifth,Regiment New York Volunteers,

[The above letter to Mrs. George Leavitt, was copied by her father-in-law John Leavitt, in September of 1865, in a ledger with George’s letters home, as a remembrance of him]

MSS 66

[from the “War Journal” of George Hazen Dana of the 32nd Massachusetts as compiled by him for wartime letters and diaries]

                                                           Camp near Sharpsburg.
                                                                          Oct. 4th 1862.
My last was written in Washington, and I have
not as yet heard from you, but hope to soon.
I was not in very good health in W., but am now
well.        You see, as I said, I knew myself better
than you did.        From Washington, I went to
Frederick, Md. in the cars, thence to Boonsboro,
on top of an old fashioned stage coach, a distance
of sixteen miles.        The [whole?] concern was

rather shaky, and I expected every moment to be
precipitated with the body of the coach, – which
rolled from one side to the other like an old sailor –
from my lofty position to the ground.        The
drive would have been very tedious, had it not been
for the magnificent scenery.        I never saw
any to compare with the view from the battle field
on the summit of South Mountain.        It unites
the wildness of our Northern mountain scenery
with the fertility of the island of Java – but
I will not try to describe it to you, for it would
be beyond the power of the most eloquent pen.
But should I be spared till more peaceful times,
we must all feast upon that heavenly scenery
together –        It seemed to me sacrilegious
and almost impossible that a bloody battle
would have been contested in the very midst of
one of God’s choicest creations – brother against
brother -, fighting to the death for the possession of
what seemed to belong to God alone.
I remained at Boonsboro all night, and the next
morning, hired a wagon, and drove to Sharpsburg.
Here the destruction caused by shot and shell
were visible in every direction, – large holes through
the sides of brick buildings, tottering walls, etc.

It seemed miraculous that all the inhabitants
could have escaped injury, but it is accounted for
by the fact that they stowed themselves away in
the cellars.        The regiment I found posted about
a hundred yards from the Potomac River,  on the
Maryland side of the river, where we still remain –
   The regiment is all on picket duty today, but I
remain in camp as Officer of the Guard.
President Lincoln reviewed our corps yesterday.
Little Mac attended him, and the men were therefore
crazy, as usual

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5130

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Saturday, Oct. 4, 1862

This morning
Arthur & Crotty went
to Burnsides ajt
again he said to
them that he would
send an order to
[muster?] us out today
Some of the boys of
the Regt have trans-
ferred to day to a regular
Battery.  Some cannonading
near here to day
Wrote letter to day
for Fred to Mary Creps
Played for Guard
mounting this morning
saw John Benton to night
Rained a little this
evening mostly clear
during the day

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Oct. 4th, ’62      
Started between

7 & 8 o’clock, A.M.
Left the Bardsville  town
pike 26 miles from
Louisville; marched
rapidly until with-
in about 4 miles
of Bardsville, when
the rebel cavalry en-
gaged our cavalry,
taking 150 of ours
prisoners; – ours tak-
ing 1! Four miles from
Fairfield. Every a-
pearance of a fight.
Saw Gen’l. Thos. L. Crit-  
tenden, today; a fine
looking young gen-
eral.

Two rebel pris-
oners just pass-
ed; “hard cases”.
I saw, altogether, ten
prisoners whom we
took to-day.- yesterday, one
officer. Encamped
for the night in the
suburbs of Bards-
town. Made a march
of 20 miles today.
Was taken to H.
Q. for permitting
some of the men
to take a few
sweet potatoes

from an old rebel.
Rained to-day.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey[

Sat 4. Organized choir – extemporarily – fine showers at
night.  Attended in position at Gen. Robeson’s review.
     William surprised & delighted me by walking into
my tent – this Eveg – Attended Barracks prayer meetg.
   tea at Mr Parkes

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Saturday 4th  My heart has been lighted to day by the reception of a letter
from tom & I feel grateful to God for sparing his life so far he says he
is well & his Regiment is nos resting That he found it impossible
to write before as they are so constantly moving about–fording & refording
the Potomac several times.  That the part of the Army he is with now was
obliged to rest after a vigorous Campaign & several hard fought battles
about 12 miles from Martinsburg on the Baltimore & Ohio R Road & 20 odd miles
from Winchester.  He says we have been as far as Frederick City in Maryland
it is quite a pretty little place there, several companies were made up & joined us.
My Brigade had the honour of helping to take Harpers Ferry . We drove the Yankees
from the Maryland Heights, & held them till after the surrender.  We took 12000 Yankees
& 3 or 4000 negroes most of whom were sent to their masters when they could be
found–He says he hires some one to wash for him & there are others that cook–So he would
prefer Noah’s remaining at home until he is stationary & sends for him–

MSS 6960

Saturday, October 4, 1862

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Pa is having his Fall apples gathered-
Some of them are the finest I ever had.
Here again I think of you, how you
would enjoy them–Wouldnt I love to see
you sitting right under them & eating an
apple.  Emma is very busy attending
to putting them away.  Pa says that she
may sell as many as she can & have the
money – (i.e. what are not used)

Rod to Rippon in the carriage yesterday & took
Tom & Daisy to have their feet measured–
– Paid 1 50 for Ds shoes 4 75 for mine
I engaged to make them for that
pd 8$ for shoes for Pa.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Saturday 4.  Warm weather–at the Bank
today it was ordered that the Board
of the officers should be reviewed
This was done in consequence of my
stating that Read had requested
his name to be withdrawn–It was
[?] troublesome to get he signatures
of some of my securities–I am at
a loss to know who to ask to take
Read’s place–There are some who
would readily do so to whom I we
not like to be under the obligation
–Letter from Lanty–very interesting
How well he writes!  His description
of the mode of life at Edgewood
is painfully striking–He attributed
it to excentricities[?] cropping out
I fear it is simply intemperance.
I do not know a family more to be
pitied–no news of any particular
interest, except a demonstration
of the enemy south of Savannah
Eugene improving slightly.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

Friday
Oct 3
Felt very weak and discouraged as usual
but made out to do my duty.  Wrote home
and sent ten dollars.  O may God in mercy soon
cause the war to end if consistent with His will.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Weley A. Hammond, Co. e., 42nd Virginia (Dixie Greys)

Saturday 4th Very sick today – One
of our boys came to camp who were
prisoners at Cedar Run.  Gave some
account of stay in Yankee prison

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526