Fort Tillinghast, Dec 17th/62
My Dear Wife
                        As I expect to receive a
letter from you this afternoon, I will
commence to answer it now, We are
now enjoying some very beautifull weather
for the last few days it has been as
warm and pleasant as June, Mrs Cha-
ndler, and Charly Pecker and wife came
here last Sunday, (Mrs Pecker is Capt
Chandlers sister) they stop with us
about a week, I believe, J B Alley
came over here last Sunday accompan-
ied by Wm Downing, Benj Sprague
John Martin and Philip Tapleys son,
all of Lynn, I had a talk with them,
Mr Alley seemed pleased to see me,
and asked me to come over to
Washington and see him, Lieut
Earp is geting along finely.  he has
got his Sword and uniform, and

[page 2]
is to-day doing duty as “Officer of
tghe day” I really think that, that
Commission saved his life, he
is still quite feeble, having lost
some thirty pounds by his sickness,
How do you get along this winter,
A’int you most out of money, I
was in hopes, to have sent you some
before this, I suppose Uncle Sam
will pay us between this and the
middle of January, when he does
I will send it to you, We are all very
much in want of money, John B
said he thought we should be paid
off this week, John Blaney, and Cy
Stimpson of Swampscott were here
last week I did’nt see them, Perkins
and Pedrick did, It is now “Salt Horse”
time, I will finish this some other time

[letter of Robert P. Mansfield, Co. M., 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, will continue on the 19th.]

MSS 1242

[from the “War Journal” of George Hazen Dana, as compiled sometime after the war from his diaries and letters]

                                                           Camp near Falmouth Va.
                                                                           Dec. 17th 1862.
     Here we are again, safe and sound – that is, the
balance of us, – in our old camp, and I presume
you will like to hear – what part I took in the pro-
ceedings.        I was sent to Washington, as you
know, on business, and had not finished, when I heard
that we were at work before Fredericks burg, and heard
also that our brigade was engaged.        So I started,
Saturday morning at 8 o’clock for Aquia Creek,
and left there at 3 P.M. for Falmouth, in the cars.
Hearing the heavy booming of the guns ahead, I
was very impatient, as you may imagine, to reach
the station, but as ill luck would have it, when about
five miles from Falmouth, the cars ran off the track –
-hurting nobody, however – and I had then to start
on foot with my valise –        I ran about two

miles, and becoming rather used up, had to leave my
baggage with the drivers of an army wagon, on the
road; then started again, and reached the pontoon
bridge, opposite Fredericksburg, about 5 o’clock, and
there heard that our brigade had crossed about
twenty minutes before.        I rushed across,
through the town, to the battlefield, in front, where
there was a deafening roar of cannon and musketry
and bursting shell, the dead piled up in every
conceivable position, the wounded screaming and
groaning, the ground slippery with blood.
I ran from right to left, asking every one for Griffin’s
brigade, one directing me in one direction, another in
the opposite, and thought I should never find it,
the bullets all the while whistling about my ears,
so that it seemed as if an immense fly was
buzzing in each of them.        I was positive I should
never cross the field alive, as it seemed to my in-
experience as though a flea could not escape
without losing some feathers on both sides.         The
fire was so heavy that most of the regiments
were lying flat on their faces.        I saw five or
six regiments, however, on the ‘double quick’,
away in advance of the rest, and made for them.

As I approached them, I saw that the 32nd was the
rear one, and a moment after, all fell flat on their
face but ‘our own’, God bless it; which continued
to advance, over the others, till it took the very
front, on the brow of the hill, fired a volley, and
then, in turn, laid low, the murderous storm passing
over it.        In the mean time, I had picked up
a rifle, and finding it loaded, fired it, and then
walked up to Col. Parker, who was safe and sound,
and perfectly cool, and reported myself for duty.
How he laughed!        But I can write no more, as
the mail is off.        I am well, and in command
of Co. A.  Captain Dearborn dying nobly while
leading his company in the charge.        Do not
think me unfeeling for speaking of this sad, sad
occurrence so hastily, but I’ve no time –         More
of the battle next time.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5130

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

17. Dec. – Clear–cold–rode to hill to see field battle–visited wounded-Met
some kind ladies, among the hospitals.  Sent off 26 of our wounded
to Washington – Burnside says – withdrawal of Army was effect-
ted without loss of men or guns or stores – without knowledge of
enemy & as military necessity (either to return or fight –
repulse wld. be disasterous – cld. nt take batteries.
Jackson is Lt. Col. 26 N.J.V.

 The Colonel of the 26th New Jersey was Andrew Jackson Morrison (1828-1907) eventually
dismissed from the Army by Philip Sheridan for habitual drunkenness

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935 

                               U. S. Steamer Currituck
                                   Navy Yard Washington
                                                  Dec 17th 1862

Sir
I have inspected  1 1/2 doz File Boards
and passed them.  The carmine and
Blue Pencils I have not seen.  The set of
accounts Books for the Currituck  I reject
as being to expensive for Small Vessels.
four Blank Books of four Quires each will
answer
                                     Very Respectfully
                                      Your Obt. Servant
                                         T. J. Linnekin
                                    Acting master Comdg
                                    U S S Cuttituck 

Commandant
  Andrew A. Harwood

[from the diary of John Ward]

Dec 17th wansday
Whe left comp
at White Oak chirch
and went to the regt
this moring Nears
Falmouth

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

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

     Dec. 17th, ’62.
Clear with a cold
wind.
Brigade drill
at 1 P.M.
My knee not
so much swollen
but still painful.
Ordered to be ready
to march at ¼ before
7 A.M. to-morrow
morning, with three
days rations in havre-
sacks.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of George W. Dabney, a clerk of Campbell County, Va.]

17  Wedn’
Clear & moderate-
Lias to town with sundries for girls
3 cases Lard– 1 pot d[itt]o  Mr Stuart
3 ” Sausage meat & 1 ” d[itt]o
27 chines 30 spareribs-117 feet
Beef – 4 roast pds. 3 steak diotto]
2 briskets-lightwood for Pa.
Turkeys, geese, guineys, and
fowls of Lucy–left for raising
1 gobler & hen T 1 goose & gander
wrote Pa & Lucy-also Kitty
for Lucy Ann a dress &c
victory at Fredg recieved.

MSS 3315

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

Wednesday–We have just heard the great battle is going on at Fred
-ericksburg-& at the same time the Yankees have attacked Kinston-
Governor Vance has gone down with the conscripts from Raleigh
& reinforcements are arriving at Goldsboro hourly–No mail today
we all feel anxious–Sarah had a letter from Fred to day written near
ly 20 days ago–He had been been marching for several days-& as they
were frightened by a false alarm–they threw away all the comforts they
had in their wagons on the road-& were sleeping without tents or
sufficient coverings – & were everyday expecting to be engaged in
a fight-He had sold his horse & gotten another more manageable–

[MSS 6960]

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Pa got several late Northern papers & they give
an account of the shelling of Fredericksburg-
& say they crossed the Rappahannock on Friday-
Or troops fired at them from the Town & they
Shelled them out.  The Confederates then retired
to their breast works, about a mile from the
City (on Saturday they were attacked but
held their ground though the Federals are
still in the Freds=The Confederates
shelled the City also but did not drive
them from it.  I don’t believe this account-
But Pa says they gained a victory in crossing
the river in front of our army.  that may be
but we killed a great many whilst crossing, as
they admit. & also tried several times but
were aimed at by sharp shooters, & obliged
to retire with some loss.  We are most
anxious to hear the truth…Pa was
to Clark but could hear nothing.  What
would I not give for a letter. I am
not afraid that my dear husband
was in the fight, but still he might
have been there & I can but feel a
little uneasy.  Oh, these are times that
try mens souls, would they might
teach us to place our faith in
that  Rock from whence all comfort
comes & find peace by believing.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Ambler]
[Mrs. Ambler will not make another entry until January 12, 1863]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat of Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Wednesday 17  My appeal to the coun
cil was not in vain–they granted
last evening 2500$ to the Fredg suffer
-ers-with a little better management
much more would have been given
-I made further collections and remit
ted $500 more to Howison.  I shall
not stop until I make up $2500
   Willis & I have agreed that more
help is necessary in the bank &
I shall bring the subject before the
board.  Learned that Mrs Lomax
relict of my venerable friend the Judge
returned to her house after the first
exodus from Fredg. and that when
the shelling took place she could not
be removed being bed ridden- & that
the roof of the house was torn off
by shells.  She was not hurt.
Gen Lee’s official report is in   the papers
our line extended from Hamiltons Cros
sing 3 1/2 miles below the town to the Rap
pahannock above Falmoth–Our troops
were on the brow of the hills from
Willis Hill to Fort Hill and between
the Hills and the Rail Road below the
town–the enemy around on our right
from the mouth of Deep Run where
their lowest Pontoon Bridge was
acrooss Pratts field nearly at right
angles to the river.  The column attac
ing on our left were brought out of
the town-the points on the left
where the fiercest assaults were
made were Willis Hill–and Snow-
den-or as they know call Yeaman
Smiths house Stansbury Hill-our loss
was comparatively slight-less than
1800.  the enemy’s was very great
At night engaged in putting
up the moreen curtains which I
have done, except when in S.A. annu
ally since our marriage–They were
imported by Gen Minor before his mar
riage-and are therefore nearly as
old as the Federal constitution-they
are but little injured-and where
is the Constitution?

MSS 4763