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to Elizabeth Smith

The regiment is once again on picket duty. He discusses losses to the regiment and the Battle of Gettysburg, "but I hope that we shall never get into another fight like that at Gettysburg Pa for it was awful beyond Discription I cannot discribe it...

GLC04189.52

to Elizabeth Smith

He expects to be in the army for quite some time but hopes to come home to visit. He will say no more about the "shop affair" since he can do nothing about it. Undated letter fragment.

GLC04189.09

to Charles

Page 1 addressed to Charles. The regiment is under marching orders. Rumor has it that the Rebels have crossed the Rappahannock near Culpeper Court House and intend to invade Maryland. [Page 2: "Well my Old Duck" [Elizabeth] signed "Dave Smith the...

GLC04189.45

to Elizabeth Smith

The unit is still under heavy marching orders. Rumor says they will go to Pennsylvania. He is not looking forward to the long, hard march. He does not want his son to be hired out. Written at Fairfax Court House.

GLC04189.47

to Elizabeth Smith

Envelope without letter. Addressed to Stamp. Post mark has been removed.

GLC04189.59

to Elizabeth Smith

Envelope without letter. Post marked from Washington.

GLC04189.60

to Elizabeth Smith and children

Smith describes his march from Washington, loading and unloading baggage cars, and being ordered to load the wounded onto steamers at Acquia Creek. They are camped within the sights of Confederate artillery. Addressed from Virginia nearly opposite...

GLC04189.20

to Friend Furm

Letting his old tentmate know what has happened to him.

GLC04189.42

to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses guard duty, the value of the equipment in his blacksmith shop, and an increase in desertions from some regiments who have not received furloughs.

GLC04189.18

to Elizabeth Smith and Charles C. Smith

The regiment was excused from guard duty on Thanksgiving to attend church and a dress parade. Smith urges Charles to learn to write and to study geography. "I now see the need of understanding the geography and the map and then I could tell when I...

GLC04189.19

to Charles Carroll Smith

Discusses visiting friends in another regiment. He received his pay but his money and overcoat were stolen. He discusses thievery in camp and loading the wounded on to boats at Acquia Creek.

GLC04189.21

to Elizabeth Smith

He has an opportunity to join the regular army for the balance of his three years of service. He will get a $2500 bounty, double the pay and will be able to work in a blacksmith's shop. He is ill.

GLC04189.22

to Elizabeth Smith and children

The army is still in the same location and is in a state of suspense concerning what will happen next. General Burnside announced a Grand Review which was canceled due to rain. One man in the regiment contracted small pox. The doctors isolated him...

GLC04189.23

to Elizabeth Smith and children

The regiment has orders to cross the Rappahannock and attack Fredericksburg. Smith describes details of the attack plan. He also mentions a review of the Second Corps by General Ambrose Burnside and provides a description of the general.

GLC04189.24

to Elizabeth Smith and children

Rain and mud foiled the attack on Fredericksburg. The pontoons and artillery became stuck in the mud. Confederate soldiers taunted the stranded union soldiers by offering to help build the pontoon bridge, if the federals could get the pontoons to...

GLC04189.25

to C. Carroll Smith

The snow has melted but the weather remains bitterly cold. He reiterates the changes in command discussed in the previous letter. Also mentions losses to his unit and the 72 PA. The latter has only 300 men on active service out of the 1,880 who...

GLC04189.26

to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to issue furloughs. The mud is still extremely deep. He discusses the children's health and whether or not they should attend school. He speculates on Hooker's plans for the army. "Joe Hooker will do One of 3 things he will...

GLC04189.27

to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to move out via the railroad to Acquia Creek. His regiment is still on picket duty and must keep the Rebels from noticing the movement of the rest of the army. General Hooker feeds the army better than Burnside did.

GLC04189.28

to Charley

General Hooker has given orders that all Union troops and sutlers must be out of Falmouth by 10 AM the following day. He advises his son not to go to school as it may interfere with his health. He tells his younger son, Rufus, to begin chewing...

GLC04189.29

to Elizabeth Smith

Contains a lengthy description of the weather including rain, snow, and more mud. Discusses picketed duty and his mess mates. He has not shaved "except with a pair of scissors" since he left Salem.

GLC04189.30

to Elizabeth Smith

His wife has rented out part of the Barn. He is very ill.

GLC04189.31

to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses picket duty in a ravine and guard duty near the Lacy House. He agonizes over keeping warm and adds "the way we kept warm at the Lacy House was by Running around it[.] The main house was about 100 ft long." He also discusses...

GLC04189.32

to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses skirmishing along his picket line and mentions the funeral of a member of their regiment. His regiment got into a fight with a New York regiment over wood. Only twenty-five men from his company are fit for duty.

GLC04189.33

to Elizabeth Smith

He is ill again. Sickness has decimated the regiment: "a good many get sick that never get well again[.] [W]e have a funeral in the Regiment nearly every day on an average[.] [L]ast night we had 3 . . . ." Describes a skirmish on the 17th...

GLC04189.34

to Elizabeth Smith and children

He is ill with dysentery. He requests a box [i.e. care package] containing Wrights pills, medicine for diarrhea, and food. The regiment has not been paid in a long time. Thirty-six men in the regiment are now fit for duty.

GLC04189.35

to Elizabeth Smith

The regiment's orders to move out have been delayed by rain. He asks his wife not to send the box [see #35] since boxes become lost when they are forwarded. He believes the regiment may go to Charleston, Vicksburg, or Richmond.

GLC04189.36

to Elizabeth Smith and family

He is feeling better, although "the medicine I have taken has settled in my bones So it is hard for me to walk. Some has [sic] lost the use of their limbs altogether & others have lost all the toes off their feet." He still expects his package to...

GLC04189.37

to Charles

He describes cooking in camp and speculates that Hooker is moving the army out to keep the Confederates from sending reinforcements to Vicksburg.

GLC04189.38

to Elizabeth Smith and family

He received his box. Last night, troops crossed below Fredericksburg found the city well fortified. His regiment has also moved from their old camp and may see action soon.

GLC04189.39

to Elizabeth Smith

Describes the move from Falmouth to his current position on the battlefield. He writes of his units performance in the battle and notes "the old troops say it was the hardest Battle so far they was ever in..."

GLC04189.40

to Elizabeth Smith and family

The army has retreated back to their old camp. Describes Stonewall Jackson's maneuver which forced them to retreat. He discusses losses to the regiment and lists the names of friends who were killed or wounded. He writes that he had been in battle...

GLC04189.41

to Elizabeth Smith and family

The regiment has moved near General French's headquarters. They earned the nickname the "bloody 12th." General French sent orders to retreat three times before the regiment finally obeyed. Discusses comrades wounded in the battle.

GLC04189.43

to Elizabeth Smith

He believes the unit may be ordered back to Ellicotts Mills to guard the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Most of the men in the regiment have nine month enlistments that will be ending soon. Nine month men are called "Lincoln's pets."

GLC04189.44

to Elizabeth Smith

The regiment is under marching orders, probably to Maryland or Pennsylvania. He hopes to hear good news from Vicksburg.

GLC04189.46

to Elizabeth Smith

A description of the old Bull Run battlefield. He describes trees cut in half and open graves. "We passed over an old Battle Field they say it was one of Bull Run Battles. I saw a number of Graves Some with legs out. Some with arms out & Some...

GLC04189.48

to Elizabeth Smith

Describes the Battle of Gettysburg. Smith was stationed in the Union center near a stone wall. Smith's regiment may have missed the first day's battle because he writes Pickett's Charge occurred on the second day. "We was in the front & center for...

GLC04189.49

to Family

He reports that Marylanders act more friendly toward the troops than the people in Pennsylvania. News concerning the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

GLC04189.50

to Elizabeth Smith

His legs are bothering him again. He hopes to either get a job as a blacksmith in the brigade or get a transfer to the invalid Corps. Currently his regiment is guarding the supply train [wagons] against guerrilla attacks.

GLC04189.51

to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses the problem of locating Confederate guerrillas. He is very ill and his legs are swollen. He predicts that the war will be over soon.

GLC04189.53

to Elizabeth Smith

His right leg is getting worse. He believes Lee may attack them near Alexandria. The regiment now totals 343 men out of the 984 men who enlisted one year ago. In a section addressed to his wife, Smith indicates someone wrote him a note, on one of...

GLC04189.54

to Elizabeth Smith

He is very ill. Written from Stanton General Hospital.

GLC04189.56

to John Smith

Informing him that private D. V. M. Smith died on October 10th, 1863. Also informs him where Smith was buried.

GLC04189.57

to Elizabeth Smith

He found her husband's body and has sent it home by express. He warns her not to open the coffin because the body is "in an advanced state of decomposition."

GLC04189.58

to Elizabeth Smith

He has been sick since he joined the Army and now believes that his illness is due to bad food which "the devil can not eat." He describes how the regiment left New Jersey and traveled via railroad to Maryland. His regiment captured three of...

GLC04189.01

to Elizabeth Smith

The Confederates camped twenty miles away in Frederick, Maryland. He has "Inflamatory Rheumatism" in his legs. The regiment's officers think that they will all be discharged by Christmas. Smith begs his wife to write him more frequently and adds...

GLC04189.02

to Elizabeth Smith

His legs feel much better. He asks his wife to write him several times a week and he hopes to do the same. Written from Camp Johnson.

GLC04189.03

to Elizabeth Smith

Smith hopes he will soon be fit for duty. He has not received some letters his wife sent and is dismayed that she will not rewrite the news that was in them. He mentions trains full of soldiers passing by and, responding to her questions about...

GLC04189.04

to Elizabeth Smith

He received the letter she mailed yesterday (10/1/1862). He has only received one of four letters she sent. He gives her instructions concerning the "Post Office Matter" and how to file returns for stamps. In response to her complaint that he does...

GLC04189.05

[Certificate of David V. M. Smith]

Certifying that David V. M. Smith is a member of Company D, 12th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers and entitled to the state bounty.

GLC04189.06

to Elizabeth Smith

Describes the capture of a hearse that carried arms for the Confederacy. He found two newspapers lying on the road and mailed them to Anna [his daughter]. He asks Elizabeth to send him a letter detailing all the "impossibilities" she must deal with...

GLC04189.07

to Elizabeth Smith

Smith gives his wife instructions for renting out his blacksmith shop. [see also #2, 13] He is dismayed that she rented out part of the house against his wishes. His legs are giving him trouble again. Discusses types of punishments in camp...

GLC04189.08

to Elizabeth Smith

He expects to leave for home in a few days. Page 3 and 4 are addressed to Charles.

GLC04189.10

to unknown [fragment]

The rebels have torn up the road between camp and Frederick, Maryland and are now within 5 miles of the federal camp.

GLC04189.11

to David Sithen or Thomas Sharp

Gives permission for D. V. M. Smith's wife to have a cord of wood.

GLC04189.12

to Elizabeth Smith

The blacksmith shop has been rented out. Mentions rumor that the army will move soon and General Wool has stopped issuing furloughs. Smith begs his wife not to mention his liquor consumption. He assures her that he is now a sober man and it hurts...

GLC04189.13

to Elizabeth Smith & children

Describes an offer in which ten men from each company would have the "privilege" of being allowed to join the regular army for five years. They have captured quite a few rebels and spies including: "A big nigger that has been watching us and...

GLC04189.14

to Charles

He describes non-stop guard duty to his son Charles. Smith also tells the story of a young drummer boy his son's age, who snuck out of camp in a flour barrel in order to visit town. He advises his son not to become a soldier.

GLC04189.15

to Elizabeth Smith

He is still on guard duty. Discloses accounts that he would like his wife to collect. He also wants her to find out whether soldiers have to pay tax and, if so, how much. Briefly mentions the removal of McClellan and his renewed hope for a furlough...

GLC04189.16

to Elizabeth Smith & children

The army is building a General Hospital in town and his regiment has been assigned to guard it. He again asks his wife not to mention the "Rum question," claiming it makes him "feel a little dry until I forget it again." Continues on 11/26 to...

GLC04189.17

to his family

He has turned in his gun and reported to the doctor. He rode in an ambulance to Culpeper. He mentions the capture of two guerrillas and adds that "woman & children & negroes packed up & left for parts unknown."

GLC04189.55