22 May 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 it trimmed for a festival." Will use an undershirt as a shirt for now to cope with the heat. Heavy work in this heat is "no fun." Assumes they think Hooker was beaten "worse than Burnside," but "the corps was not whipped in the least." Sedgwick fought "nobly," and the 6th corps did the best of the entire army. The retreat after the battle "…

GLC09355.003

21 June 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 number of miles" north of the Rappahannock river and close to Washington D.C. "I should think that Hooker thought there was no other troops in the army but the 6th corps" given what he has put them through. Written at Fairfax Court House

GLC09355.007

19 May 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 company and battalion drills… cleaning up quarters… sweeping streets… and inspections." Had a division review yesterday; was inspected by Generals Sedgwick and Newton. Each regiment gave Sedgwick "3 rousing cheers." Describes a review in detail: "Each regiment is led out on the ground selected for the review by its own Colonel, and they are…

GLC09355.002

24 May 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 he is fully healthy by the time he returns, and encourages him to "keep with good spirits," even though he has been through enough to kill "a half dozen common folks." Expects he will be quite a businessman, for Joe is an excellent tutor. Does not know how they will be able to keep the garden in shape without Uncle Williams. Hopes business is "…

GLC09355.004

31 May 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 was a "godsend." Stockings are "just what I wanted." Is now "about all right" with clothes again. Thanks Aunt Caroline for her gift. Just finished the regular Sunday morning inspection. Had part of the regulations of the army read to them. With respect to his superiors, he notices that "they are very particular to read to us for what we shall be…

GLC09355.005

3 June 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 midnight, but at 4:30 AM was told to go back to his quarters. Had gotten ready to march because there was word that the Rebels were heading north, but guesses that they "got the start on them." Thinks that his corps might head south to "return the compliment." Has no trouble reading his mother's handwriting, but does not get letters from her as…

GLC09355.006

22 June 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 there might be another battle there soon. There are now fewer than 10,000 men in the corps. A full corps should have over 40,000 men. A few more two-year and nine-month terms end soon, and many think the corps will only number 7,000 after that. "We had a hard time being up nearly every night at work or on picket." Was at work for 26 hours straight…

GLC09355.008

10 July 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 rations. Wants one $5 bill and another $5 in smaller notes and coins. Has covered over 300 miles in recent weeks. "Was in the fight at Gettysburg, PA 4 days and no one in the company was hurt. The regiment lost 25." Lee "is a whipped man. I think Old Hooker is not our commander and I am glad of it. He liked whisky too well." Halway between Boonsboro…

GLC09355.009

13 July 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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, which is only 7 miles away. The army currently surrounds Lee: "We are gradually closing down" on him. Covered 40 miles in 20 hours in order to get to Gettysburg to fight. "A man has no idea what he can undergo of privation and fatigue until he is driven to it." Has felt "a hundred times" like he could go not further, but somehow managed to continue…

GLC09355.010

20 July 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 night without stop to get to Gettysburg in time for the battle. Immediately had to attack a brigade of Confederates aiming to take a Union battery. Took the entire brigade prisoner. Does not see how they can draft Joe. Hopes to finish up "this business" sometime soon. Sedgwick fought with them, which raised their spirits. Asks for two more pairs of…

GLC09355.011

29 July 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 with new soldiers and horses. Army wagons also need to be repaired and the men need to rest if they are to embark on another grueling campaign. Lice outbreak at camp forced many to wash their clothes and put them back on while they were still wet. "I have not had a dry shirt or pair of pants on me since we left Falmouth." Has sweat more this…

GLC09355.013

3 August 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 bloody 6th Corps." Made their way to New York City by foot, rail, and boat. Left the Army of the Potomac at daylight on Friday morning. "It was very sudden to us, only having about 4 hours notice." Did not have a chance to say goodbye to Sid. It is "all nice and pretty" at the camp; gets a cool sea breeze during the day. Asks for two new shirts.…

GLC09355.014

15 May 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 the next morning; it was raining. Orders came in at noon to march at 2:00 PM. Marched "about 3 miles and got very near to the river without the Rebels knowing we were moving." Crossed the river at night and surprised the Confederate guards, capturing them. Laid down a pontoon bridge. Were ordered to march up and down the river, "making a great…

GLC09355.001

26 March 1862

Keyes, Samuel. fl. 1862-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to unknown]

GLC09354.04

22 November 1863

Blanchard, John, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Esther Ann Kinney

re: Blanchard describes the skirmishes his regiment has with the Confederate troops around the Rappahannock River in the defense of Washington DC. He also describes his camp, saying, "the huts were constructed of bags plastered with mud…every thing was snug and comfortable."

GLC02162.05

October 1861

Pamphlet

Title: [General orders no. 29 regarding countersign signals]

Issued by S. William and John Jones as Assistant Adjutant Generals at the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Includes specific instructions on both day and night countersign signals. Includes an unsigned handwritten note on the last page stating that this circular is to remain confidential, and that its contents are not to be made public. The note is missing text due to a large tear.

GLC06628.05

20 March 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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, regiment leader, brigade leader, division leader, and corps leader in order to do so. Now has "a real live specimen of red tape." Got wet while jumping over a brook today; no boots of any kind could have helped him stay dry there. Does not think the raids they have been conducting against the Rebels "amount to much." "I do not believe the man…

GLC09355.054

3 April 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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. Believes the war will not end until there is no more "fraud, dishonesty, deceit, and immorality." Finally got paid for 4 months pay. Was going to be paid, but the raid interrupted pay. The paymaster returned, but without sufficient money for the whole regiment, and had to return to Washington. He finally came back with 4 months of pay yesterday.…

GLC09355.058

24 April 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 months. So many things are being sent to Washington that he had to give up his own tent. Has built summer quarters with a friend named William H. Averell from Conway. Will not have to do picket duty again until he returns to his company. A provost guard is never supposed to be near the front, so they will be all the way in the rear during battles…

GLC09355.061

26 April 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 so prisoners were going to try to "make a dash and get away," but the guards were prepared and therefore prevented any escape attempt. Wishes he could see him now. "We are having such fine weather."

GLC09355.062

24 July 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 completely wearing the men out. Terrain was very rough. One bright note is that his boots stood up fairly well during the march. All that happened during the march was that they chased the Confederates around the countryside without engaging them. The 6th corps engaged the Rebels "within a stones throw of the Capitol and God knows I wish the Rebs had…

GLC09355.080

3 January 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 the field with whom we have lived and associated with for the past 18 months will take their leave and return to their peaceful firesides" soon. Soon he will be one of the veterans. "I dread [that] hour as much as anything I know of." Lieutenant Robinson is going to be promoted to captain of the company, "and no one will suit the company any…

GLC09355.037

February 14, 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 grandmother is doing well. Tells them that there is no way they can drum him out of the service; it only happens as a "severe punishment" and comes with a dishonorable discharge. Asks for news of William Dickinson. Has not seen Sid for a few days, but he was well before that. He never leaves his company to visit. His parents will be escorting Sid…

GLC09355.047

February 21, 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

"This week chronicles a new era in my army life." "Rejoiced" to hear the box with his boots is on its way. Thinks the shoemaker purposely delayed the making of his boots. It is ridiculous that he had to go all the way to Boston to find leather. "We had a chapel built and we have prayer meetings 3 evenings of the week, a bible class Sunday forenoon and preaching in the afternoon." Has gone to some of the prayer sessions, but does not want to go today because he has guard duty tonight. Weather has been very cold for a week now. Has been writing with ink all winter, but they have not mentioned…

GLC09355.048

6 March 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Last wrote them two weeks ago. Went out on a walk "for our health." Took in 30 blacks, destroyed 2 grist mills, took two loads of bacon, and captured some 50 Rebels while on the walk. The 6th corps was acting as reserves to cover General Custer's raids into the Virginia countryside. Returned from picket duty on Friday, February 26. Took "as little baggage as possible" on the march. On the first night of the march, they headed to James City, a distance of about 20 miles. After another few days of marching, he went and found Sid, who was "under great affliction. His feet were all blisters."…

GLC09355.049