2 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Writes that he is well and that the weather is pleasant, sometimes it rains and sometimes it is warm. They were on picket duty yesterday. The day before yesterday, a man from their Company was wounded; he was shot in the calf. He is the third man to be wounded in their Company. Writes that in Company A, the 2nd Regiment had three killed by the rebel sharpshooters and the 6th Regiment had three men wounded. Does not think he will write again till after the Siege of Yorktown (5 April, 1862 - 4 May, 1862). They were called up a few nights ago at midnight to vote as to whether they want…

GLC02749.002

May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

They are now about 30 miles from Richmond and expect to be there this week. On Sunday morning, 4 May, they were eating breakfast when an order came for them to be ready with their guns and within in ten minutes, they were in the rebels' works. Writes that "it was the same place where the battle of the 16 (possible the Battle of Drewry's Bluff, fought on 15 May, 1862) was fought… there is hardly a tree" left on the field now. They marched 11 miles, and their cavalry overtook the rebels, which resulted in a skirmish. They stopped marching about an hour after dark and camped in some woods.…

GLC02749.003

23 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

Many men have caught Dysentery from the bad water. States that they "lost 500 men from this brigade while across the river and the Corps lost 6000." Writes that the army was put into "the shape of a horseshoe with the heel resting on the river." It was a pleasant and sunny day, but there was enough wind to lift the smoke out of the guns so anyone could see every rebel, even if you were a mile away. Claims that the rebels must have lost four men to every Union man killed because the rebels had four lines of battle, whereas they only had one line in front. Found out by the prisoners that…

GLC02749.004

28 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

They have not arrived at Richmond yet, but must be ready for a start at a moment's notice. Only allowed to take their haversacks, no knapsacks or blankets. Have to bring 40 rounds of cartridges in boxes and 20 rounds in their pockets when they cross the creek. The creek is about half a mile in front of them, and Richmond is about seven miles away. Writes that their pickets stand on the bank and the rebel pickets are in sight on the other side, about 80 roads apart. There was heavy fighting all yesterday afternoon about half a mile on their right. The report is that they have driven the…

GLC02749.005

9 June 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Writes that nothing important has happened since he "last wrote except the battle of Sunday. Our division was not in it, there was not much artillery firing that day but the muskets was heavy and it was kept up without easing till near two hours after dark." Now on the Richmond side of the Chickahominy; does not suppose that they will attack Richmond this week. Writes that the rebels have fired more than 100 shots since he started writing this letter. Although they have several batteries there, Henry does not know why the rebels are firing because the batteries will burst in the swamp on…

GLC02749.006

26 September 1864

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Writes that they can only send letters every four days now, and soon he will not be able to send any letters for two or three weeks. They are in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia within 25 miles of Staunton, Virginia and nearly 100 miles from Harpers Ferry, Virginia. They have had two battles since he last wrote, one at Winchester, Virginia (Battle of Opequon or the Third Battle of Winchester, 19 September 1864) where "this Regiment captured a brigadier General. It was a hard fight; our forces took five cannons, 15 stand collors [sic], 2500 prisoners besides killing and wounding over 5000."…

GLC02749.010

20 October 1864

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Just received her letter dated 10 October. They had as desperate a battle as they have ever had yesterday (Battle of Cedar Creek or Battle of Belle Grove, 19 October 1864). The rebels came in from the rear, attacked them at early light, and killed men in their tents. In less than five minutes after the first shot was fired, the six corps got into line just in time. The rebels took 40 guns, nearly 200 wagons, all of the corps' tents, knapsacks, and haversacks, and drove the whole army more than two miles. When they got a chance, they drove the rebels back to Staunton, Virginia in the…

GLC02749.011

December 21, 1861

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Swisher reports that he has the measles, and is still in the hospital in the city. He expects to go to camp in a week or ten days. Swisher is sorry to hear that his [brother] Jim has fallen ill. Swisher tells Bishoff that he is also sorry to hear that she cannot have any fun without him. He claims to have been away from home for so long that he does not think about home anymore. Although Bishoff has told him that she wished the war were over, he does not think it will be over very soon. Swisher tells Bishoff that he received a letter from Sam, who is doing duty in Romney. Swisher…

GLC03523.40.06

4 March 1862

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Swisher describes his surprise upon receiving his most recent letter from Bishoff. He had not heard from Bishoff for a long time, and had resolved not to write until he did hear from her. He now understands Bishoff's reason for not writing: she was ill with the mumps. Swisher explains that he is currently under marching orders and expects to go first to Martinsburgh and from there, on to Manassas or Winchester [as previously noted, the 7th Virginia Regiment marched to Winchester on March 4-15]. He tells Bishoff that she will soon hear of the "Bloodyists Battles Ever was fought on the…

GLC03523.40.07

23 April 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother and sister

The author writes that he expects to leave Winchester on the following Friday to go to 70 or 80 miles South to Gordonsville. He reports that there are currently only nine companies of his regiment still in Winchester, as six of the companies left for Strasburg on April 21st. He further explains that Union men are still in pursuit of [Stonewall] Jackson, who has retreated towards Staunton. His company plans to meet a Brigade at Gordonsville to reinforce General Shields' Division before entering Staunton. He reports that "Jef Davis," in command at Yorktown, has been completely surrounded by…

GLC03523.40.09

12 July 1862

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Swisher reports that since the last time he wrote, there has been a "Considerate Skirmish" and that the "3rd and 4th of July Did not go off as nice as it did Last year." On the 4th of July, Swisher's regiment suffered one casualty and three wounded. Swisher remarks that he would have liked to have gone to the party Bishoff hosted on the 4th, and to have seen "all the pretty little Girls step around over the floor," for he has "not seen a woman for so long it is almost a show To see." According to Swisher, if his regiment happens to march through a town, the women all go into their houses,…

GLC03523.40.11

24 September 1862

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Swisher tells Bishoff of the great battle that took place on the 14th of September. His Regiment was in the fight and was "Terribly cut to pieces Taking in to The fight 340 and Brought out 200. getting 112. wounded. and 28 Killed." There were three men killed and seven wounded in his company (5 pretty badly and two slightly). John C. Foglesong was one of the killed, dying instantly of a shot through the head. Bishoff's and Kate's likenesses were buried with him as he had requested while traveling on the James River with Swisher. Swisher reports that there was "many a poor soldier put out…

GLC03523.40.14

19 October 1862

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Swisher traveled towards Winchester to follow the Rebel army. They wiped them out of Charlestown and came back to camp again. He is tired by hard marching in the rain. Swisher tells Bishoff he would come home if he could, but he can't. He then explains that he is waiting to see whether "Mr Abram" is going to put his proclamation into effect, for if he does, Swisher is "not agoing to stay." But "as long as I am Fighting for the right Cause I would Rather Die at the point of the Enemys Bayonets than to Have the name of A Deserter," he says. He and Dick are tent mates and have agreed that…

GLC03523.40.17

16 December 1862

Swisher, Daniel, fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Bishoff Jr.

Swisher has set up a house which has a fire place that he can use to cook. He suspects Bishoff has already heard about the battle of Fredericksburg, so he will not bother to give him all the particulars. His regiment fought for two days with artillery across the Rappahannock. Union men put a pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock. The Rebels were throwing shells as fast as they could in an attempt to knock the pontoon to pieces, but they could not get in range of it. His was the first Union Brigade was to advance through the town. Rebels shot at his regiment but it did not suffer as…

GLC03523.40.20

20 May 1863

Swisher, James S., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lydia A. Bishoff

He would like to know how Bishoff and the "Old major" are getting along, and he would like to be informed when they get married. There are about 100 sick soldiers in the hospital. The Colonel has moved his headquarters to Rowlsburg and there are only about six hundred soldiers there now. He received a letter from Dan since the late Battle at Fredericksburg, who said that there was one killed in his company and four severely wounded. He asks Bishoff to give his love to "all inquiring friends especily the girls."

GLC03523.40.26

February 14, 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Norman R. Dewey]

Wednesday they marched through Centerville. Centerville has the strongest position the Rebels ever had. He has been to Manassas and Bull's Run.

GLC02161.017

10 April 1862

McLean, William, fl. 1854-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

They are advancing with an army of 100,000 men. He expects their there to be a "dreadful battle in a day or so". He applied to be on Gen. Smith's staff. There will be terrible slaughter sioon.Written at Fort Monroe

GLC02161.020

9 June 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Harriet W. Dewey]

He has been receiving compliments on his work. They are camped on the battlefield and as he writes the Rebels are throwing shells into their camp.

GLC02161.025

16 June 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

There was a cavalry fight described as one of the fiercest. Will was wounded. 31 were killed. Written in Camp Lincoln

GLC02161.028

20 June 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He heard that Will was captured at Old Church. He is not that worried and feels he will be released unharmed. He himself is doing well. Written in Camp Lincoln

GLC02161.029

11 July 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He prefers hand to hand combat instead of getting shelled. He also thinks Will must be a full fledged captain by now.

GLC02161.033

22 July 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He requests photos of mother and father. He is also enclosing a sketch from an illustrated newspaper depicting the cavalry battle that Will fought in. Not included here.

GLC02161.037

3 September 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

They arrived in Bull Run only to find out they had been whipped. He lists the names of the officers that were wounded. He had a letter written to her which he tore up, for fear the Rebels would get it if he were wounded or killed.

GLC02161.053

16 September 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

They have since passed through several cities and escaped the warm fire of artillery. There has been heavy firing in the direction of Harper's Ferry though he hears their side has surrendered at Harper's Ferry.

GLC02161.057

2 November 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to father

He thinks they will go to Virginia tomorrow where everything is destroyed. They may have big fight soon. McClellan tries to avoid fights, apparently. He afraid of harming his reputation, should they lose.

GLC02161.065