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[Collection of George C. Clapp] [word processed inventory available] [Decimalized .001- .124]

This collection is a series of letters and other items from Private George C. Clapp. Private Clapp was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was mustered into G Company of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry on July 15, 1862 when he was a 23-year-old...

GLC09355

to parents

Received their letter last night. "It is hot enough to roast a nigger alive out here." Everyone has sat down under a row of pine or cedar trees for shade or has created improvised shade with tree branches. It looks "like the town hall when they have...

GLC09355.003

to parents

Has received two letters from them since he last wrote. Has not had time to write because "we have been on a continued move." Has been here for three days, but "expect to move every moment." It is impossible to know where they are going. Is now "a...

GLC09355.007

to parents

Received a letter from home on Saturday. Is frustrated that he has not received what he wanted, but blames it on his experience in the army where he has been trained to obey every order without question or delay. "This kind of life makes a great...

GLC09355.017

to parents

Received a letter from them last night. Generally, when they mail a letter on a Monday, it arrives on a Thursday. Is happy to read their letters no matter how long they are. Is no longer working for the General Court Martial. The division...

GLC09355.041

to Parents

Just returned home from chapel. Two men were baptized today. One was Sergeant John W. Stockwell. "If a man can be a Christian in this army he can be one anywhere." Went down to Brandy Station this morning, and needed a pass signed by a company leader...

GLC09355.054

to Parents

Will be home 17 months from tomorrow. "God grant that the cloud which now hangs over our nation" will be gone by then. The war is God's punishment. "There was never a more corrupt and sinful government than ours has been" for the past 20 years...

GLC09355.058

to Parents

Received a letter and a package containing tobacco, paper, and envelopes. Was almost out of envelopes, but had enough paper "to last me a month." Hopes he will be able to write a lot during the summer. Now has enough paper to write for the next two...

GLC09355.061

to brothers

"Everyone is waiting expecting to have orders to move almost every day now." Rations have come from Washington "in abundance" to prepare for the march. Anything that cannot be carried has been sent away to Washington. Had gotten word that a dozen or...

GLC09355.062

to Parents

Has not received a letter from them in two weeks. Marched up to Washington. Then went through much of Virginia Maryland over the past two weeks. Now is back only 6 miles from Washington D.C. "The whole trip has not amounted to anything" besides...

GLC09355.080

to Parents

Left Hyattsville the day after he wrote that last letter. Marched to the Monocacy River, then crossed and proceeded 3 miles to their current location. Used a pontoon bridge to cross the Potomac River and go through Harpers Ferry to Bolivar Heights...

GLC09355.083

to parents

Is writing his first letter since April 27. Wrote a quick note earlier making sure they knew he was well, but "I do not consider that to be a letter." Received orders on the night of the 27th to prepare for an early march. No order to march was given...

GLC09355.001

to parents

Fourth page of the document is a sketch diagramming how a military review works, showing where men of a certain rank stand. Does not have much to write, but knows how much they like to hear from him. Has returned to the old routine: "same number of...

GLC09355.002

to brother

Received a letter from him last week, and owes him a reply. Hopes he is staying cool because it is unbearably hot at camp. Has suffered "more from heat this past week than ever before." Seems as if the sun is "hotter here than anywhere else." Hopes...

GLC09355.004

to parents

Received a few lines from Banks through them recently. Took him a few readings to "make head or tail of it." Wishes they had sent him the portfolio. Glad to have received the tobacco, socks, handkerchiefs, towels, and straps in the mail. The tobacco...

GLC09355.005

to parents

Received their letter last night. Will be crossing the (Rappahannock) river again in a few days. "They have taken a lot of artillery down near the river today." It is "bad weather for a fight." Received the order to pack up and be ready to march at...

GLC09355.006

to parents

There are signs that they will be stopping here for a few days, so he will write a longer letter than the last one. The 6th corps will act as reserve troops for the army, and will "go where it is most needed." Is within 10 miles of Bull Run. Thinks...

GLC09355.008

to parents

He, Elisha, and Sid are all well. Has marched from Falmouth up through Virginia and Maryland into Pennsylvania. Has returned to Maryland and are driving the Rebels back south. Expecting "a big fight near here." Asks for money, as they are short on...

GLC09355.009

to parents

Have marched 3 or 4 miles closer to Hagerstown. Expecting a fight "every moment." There have been skirmishes as close as 400 yards away. Thinks there is a chance to end the war within a month. Lee has to get his army across the Potomac to Virginia...

GLC09355.010

to parents

Has once again gone on a long march through Virginia, and is "not in very good spirits." He, Sid, and Elisha are all healthy. All are worn out. Was very glad to receive their money in the mail along with all of their letters. Marched all day and...

GLC09355.011

to parents

Resting at camp. It is the first day in a week that they have not been marching or fighting, which is "quite a relief." Now knows how his mother felt when she worked so hard around the house. Has marched almost non-stop since June 5th, covering "400...

GLC09355.012

to parents

Went and picked some berries for dinner on Sunday night. Regiment was then ordered to the top of a nearby hill to set up an encampment. "It now looks as though we shall have a good rest." Thinks they will stay there until the corps can be filled out...

GLC09355.013

to parents

Is within 150 miles of home. Landed here yesterday afternoon and will be staying here for "two or three months." Preparations around the fort indicate they will be staying for a very long time. Is now "out of the Army of the Potomac and out of the...

GLC09355.014

to parents

Received his valise with all of his things in it. "Very glad" to see Joe. Did not send a letter back with him. Had a "pretty rough time" with dysentery and diarrhea from the time we left Baltimore… but now I am first rate." "Did not look well" before...

GLC09355.015

to parents

This letter came with a note saying it was dated 1863/08/16 but came in an envelope from 1863/10/07. Most of the soldiers are at church, so he has time to write. Very quiet around the fort today. Did not go to church because he did not have his...

GLC09355.016

to parents

Has not written to them for some time and therefore feels obligated to do so. No news to write about; "it is about the same routine of duties every day." Does not know where they will be going next or when they will be doing so. Is "about ready to go...

GLC09355.018

to parents

Returned to the camp "unmolested;" no one gave him any trouble. Spoke to captain Hayden about the charges against him, and Hayden "says he will make it all right. Of course I must be punished but he might make it as easy as possible for me." His...

GLC09355.019

to parents

It is the eighth day of his confinement. There are 12 other soldiers there "for company." Has a 20 foot by 50 foot guarded space to stay in. Has "nothing but bread and water" to eat. "We managed to smuggle in most anything we want to eat." Luke Day...

GLC09355.020

to parents

Is still under guard. Has waited for a letter from them for a week but has not heard from them. Met with the colonel who asked them a few questions including how long they had been locked up for. Not sure if he will receive a court martial at all....

GLC09355.021

to parents

Received their letter yesterday. Still at the guard house but thinks he will be released soon. Is punished "by carrying a log." The lieutenant colonel was too busy "attending to his own private pleasures" to attend a court martial, so the colonel...

GLC09355.022

to parents

Received their letter from the quartermaster last night. Some rumors that they were leaving soon. Had a good visit and "am contented now." Saw George Wright yesterday. Did not have a chance to ask him what he had heard about what was going to happen...

GLC09355.023

to parents

Once again has gone into the field. In camp about 100 rods away from the 10th Massachusetts. Joined the brigade this morning after leaving New York City on Wednesday. Just saw Sid and the rest of his regiment. Engine on their train broke down...

GLC09355.024

to parents

Received two letters from them, one on the 20th and one on the 23rd. Has been on the march ever since he was at Centerville, so he has not had time to write. Marched 15 miles to Gainesville and then to New Baltimore. Later received orders to march to...

GLC09355.025

to parents

Received their letter last night and was surprised to find out that they had not received his most recent letter. Are now camped almost in the town center and is very near General Sedgwick's headquarters. Is guarding a road that has been a target for...

GLC09355.026

to parents

Marched from Kelly's Ford back towards Rappahannock Station, where there was a battle a week before. Crossed the Rappahannock River and marched six miles to their current location, "but I presume we shall not be here a great while." Cavalry had...

GLC09355.027

to parents

Is in his tent while it rains, and therefore has nothing to pass the time with other than writing. Got a short letter from his father yesterday. Hopes mother's eyes do not get much worse than they already are. Just went to visit Sid; "he is well as...

GLC09355.028

to parents

Received their letter yesterday. Marched 15 miles earlier in the week. Was going to start on Monday morning, but it was too rainy then. The march was delayed until Thanksgiving morning. Crossed the Rapidan River at Jacob's Ford and stayed there that...

GLC09355.029

to parents

Lists all of the things he wants send in his box: "1 pair of blue shirts of the color of blue yard not such a dark blue as you have made as they might fade. 1 pair of boots just like the last pair that Mellon made for me…1 pair of good woolen gloves...

GLC09355.030

to parents

Has received all of their letters, but has been too busy to answer them while building winter quarters. Returned from picket to discover that the regiment had started to build log houses. It is "no small job." The shelter he is building is eight feet...

GLC09355.031

to parents

Has not received any letters from them, but did get two newspapers. Now has time to read the papers, a luxury that he did not have before. Can even read at night sometimes when they get candles, "which we do have given [to] us sometimes." Drew...

GLC09355.034

to parents

Received their letter on New Years Day. "What a change there has been" in the past year. All of the commissioned officers who came with the company from Northampton are gone for one reason or another. Perhaps more importantly, "the old troops now in...

GLC09355.037

to parents

Got a letter from him last week. Made a mistake at the top of the page with the address and wrote Northampton. It is the first time he has made such a mistake, "but it shows where my thoughts are most of the time." Heard at division headquarters that...

GLC09355.038

to brother

The letter includes a note stating this letter was sent in the same envelope as the letter dated 1864/01/05. Asks how the "flour grain and coal business" is. Asks him to tell Joe that he can "cure himself… by just taking a gun and coming out here."...

GLC09355.039

to parents

Letter came last night and the box came the day before. Before then, there had not been any mail for 4 days, so when the call to "fall in for mail" came, the entire company was very excited. Lampoons the idea of the high-class, "high minded and noble...

GLC09355.040

to Mother

Attached with the letter is another letter to his and Edward Bridgman's old school teacher, which she is free to read if she wishes to do so. Asks her to put the letter in an envelope upon its arrival and send it to its destination. Is well and sends...

GLC09355.042

to Parents

Expects to go on picket duty in the morning, and decided to write now instead of waiting 4 days for when he has returned from picket. Colonel Edwards has applied to the War Department to allow for their regiment's reenlistment. "Cannot say how many...

GLC09355.043

to Parents

Has finished all of his Sunday work and now is able to write. Describes his normal daily chores: "As soon as we get our breakfast we commence to fix up generally. First - take down the gun and rub it up and clean it. Next follow suit with the bayonet...

GLC09355.044

to Parents

Received their letter the night before last, but did not get a letter from mother as usual. Understands that this is likely due to her straining her eyes too much. Wishes her eyes were better, "but I suppose there is no use in wishing for that." Was...

GLC09355.045

to Parents

Turns out that they will be staying put. The 2nd and 3rd corps "had a sweet little fight" with the Confederates, but the 6th corps was not needed. Feels very lucky that he did not have to fight, for it was raining very hard and the mud was knee deep...

GLC09355.046

to Parents

Does not have any news to write; they have not moved. Weather has been nice, so they may move soon. The ground is dry and the roads are in good condition. "My only wish now is that my box with my boots may come before we do start." Glad to hear his...

GLC09355.047