33rd & 32nd Pennsylvania Infantry - Killed at Cloyd's Mountain, VA

Item LTR-605

Description

3 pages, original Civil War Union letter written in period ink and war dated.


Harpers Ferry, VA
March 31st 1864

Dear Charley,

I received your letter a few days ago and was much pleased to hear from you.

Day before yesterday, we had quite an old fashioned snow and rain store. So the spring weather has not fairly commenced. Today it is cloudy and disagreeable. The Shenandoah, which is within 50 yards of my quarters, is much swollen, very muddy and dashes over the rocks foaming and boiling. The noise reminding me of the surf at the seashore. On the other side of the river, the mountain rises very rapidly and patches of snow remain among the rocks, making a most agreeable contrast to their weather beaten sides.

I have seen the notice of your father’s appointment as district attorney, which I hope will be both profitable and agreeable, as I have no doubt it will be abounded our expectations. The envelope containing the commission will compare with some of those we receive marked on the right hand upper corner “O. B.”

I do not see that any apprehension is entertained as previous, around here at least, of another raid towards Pennsylvania. Of course the rebels will not leave us word that they are coming, but leave that to us to find out. I hope we will not be placed in the same trap that the troops under Colonel Miles found themselves in.

I am quite pleasantly situated now, occupying the same house that General Wheaton had for his headquarters. There is myself, a brigade surgeon, one A. A. A. G., one A. D. C., two clerks, 2 orderlies and one captain. And we manage to appropriate seven rooms, everything goes on pleasantly now and all is quiet at Harpers Ferry.

There is nothing to amuse us and the weather has not been such as to make riding about pleasant.

With kind regards to all.

I remain truly,

R. H. Woolworth

Master Charles Gibson
Philadelphia