39th Pennsylvania Infantry - "Burnside Stuck in the Mud"

Item LTR-5592

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.

Camp Near Belle Plains Landing, VA
January 28th 1863

Mr. E. Barnes

Sir,

Your letter bearing date of the 11th and mailed the 13th came to hand the 20th. It found me well. But not feeling very well for when your letter came to hand, we had slung knapsacks and were falling into rank for a march. Consequently, I could not answer it as soon as I wanted. Had it been otherwise. Well about 1 p.m. We got started and marched about 9 miles (towards the Rappahannock above Falmouth) and went into camp for the night. It commenced raining in the evening and rained all night and you had better believe we were nice feeling boys in the morning from some of us had no shelter tents and it was still raining when we got up in the morning. Well, rain or no rain, on we went about 3 miles and then came to a halt. For by that time the roads had gotten so bad that it was almost impossible for the artillery to get along and our wagon trains were stuck in the mud. Some remained here two nights then orders came for us to go back to our old camps. I was one of 50 that was detailed out of our regiment to help get Battery B back to camp. So I did not get back to camp until the next night after the regiment did. But we all got back to camp and a muddy old time we had of it. Some of our boys said they saw a board that the rebs had stuck up on the other side of the Rappahannock with these words on it – BURNSIDE STUCK IN THE MUD—That all I will say about that this time. You inquire after James Stapleton. I can give you no information about him. Also you want to know something about S. W. Mays. Friend, there has been two letters come here since Sam’s death. One from Samuel Mays, in the hospital at New York. The other from J. W. Mays, in the 10th Regiment Kansas and also one from his uncle at Espy, Crawford County. He (Sam’s uncle) writes that he holds notes to the amount of $100 against a man in Sheffield, Warren County, that D. W. Mays sent to him. At the time of May’s Death, he owed the company $57. Company funds that he had converted to his own individual use. Also there is $55 due his colored servant.

McCann is now in command of the company. It devolves on him to see to the collection of those dues. Consequently, he has written to his brother, J. W. Mays, to know if he won’t come out here and settle up his (Sam’s) affairs and he (McCann) wants what money there is in your hands to remain there (if it can) until he can hear form J. W. Mays.

The amount due the company, I am knowing to, for at the battle of Bull Run, he gave me his pocket book and told me how much there was due Company H and if he did not return to pay up what was due the company and the balance to send to you, pocket book and all. ( I was with the headquarters wagons at the time).

Nothing further this time. Please write again and oblige,

Yours truly

H. T. Houghton