178th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-284

Description

4 page original Civil War soldier's letter, written in period ink and war dated.

Yorktown
April 8, 1863

Dear Sir,

This morning I will write a few lines in answer to yours of the thirtieth. First I must tell you that the snow and mud have all disappeared and the weather is once more as nice as May. On the first of April there was one hundred men detailed out of our regiment for to go on an expedition up the Wine River. They started at three o’clock in the morning on the gunboat. They arrived at the place of action at about noon. There was a very large farm house and barn well filled with grain. We got one hundred or two of wheat, turkeys and chickens and ham and tobacco. As much as we could carry. About the time we were the busiest in hauling away the wheat the rebel cavalry made a chance on us and made our pickets take back for the reserves. By this time we were formed in line ready to meet them. They had two of our pickets making way with them on double quick. When the command was given to charge and away we went hoping and yelling after them. In a few minutes we retook them and a Captain’s horse and sword and pistol was carried away by them. Then we set fire to the barn and made for the gunboat. They shelled the woods all along down the river to York. Twice or three times we saw horses coming out of the woods without a rider. We could not tell whether we hit them or not. But one thing is certain that there was five or six barns burned by the shelling from the gunboat. Yesterday there was another raid made by the gunboat and the Fourth Delaware Regiment. Our regiment was taking across the river to Gloucester and formed in line to stay there as reserve. As it happened we did not need to go any farther. But we looked for it every moment. The Colonel was out to the picket where he heard they had captured the horses and cattle and grain and was on their way for Camp. In about an hour afterward the word came for us to return to our quarters. By the time we got home it was nine o’clock in the evening.

You wished to know how I liked soldiering. Well as much as I know about it yet, I just say that I like it right well. We hardly know what soldiering is though from what I hear others say about it. Still I think I they make it worse than it really is. I suppose it is bad enough sometimes. Some think it hard if they have not a good featherbed to lay on and pies with butter and all this sort of knickknacks. This we can not expect to have. We have plenty of good substantive food and a board to lay on. I think we ought to be satisfied we have it as good as we have. If you can stand this kind of usage it might do for you to go. If not you had better stay where you are would be my advice.

I must stop this scribbling.

Yours with Respect
C. D. Levan