12th New Hampshire Infantry - MIA at Gettysburg

Item LTR-6147

Description

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


Camp near Falmouth, Va. Apr 15th, 63

Dear folks at home,

This is probably the last letter that you will get from me dated “Camp near Falmouth.” At present we have been here in this camp about 5 months and it has got to seem most like home to me. When we first came here it was all covered with trees and we had to cut them to make room for out tents. Now the trees are all cut except a few for shade and the stumps all dug in our company streets and on the parade ground and it is the neatest looking camps that I have ever seen, and now we have got to leave it and go on a Summer Campaign. The order has come and we are all ready to start. The Army of the Potomac that has been idle so long is at last ready to move, and in fact already started as a portion of it. I have just got in from picket, went out last Sunday and before we went, we go marching orders. Monday about noon, we see a force of cavalry coming and a lot of us went out to see them pass and find out what was going on. Found that they had broke up camp and was going up the river and had two days’ rations with them. I see Sam, he said they were going after Stuart and Stonewall Jackson he thought. Gordon, I did not see, he was back with the pack mules. His horse was wounded at the time they made a raid across the river awhile ago and so he won’t have to take the brunt of the fight. They had a big force with them, as many as or as good I should think, and a battery of artillery. Tuesday, we got news from camp that we had been ordered to take 8 days’ rations, one shirt and a pair of feetings and be ready to start at a moment’s notice. Today it rains like a fury. The regiment that came out to relieve us had turned over everything but their overcoats, shirts and feetings, and there they was without any tents or blankets and it raining torrents. It looked rather rough I can tell you. We came in as wet as drowned rats with our rubber blankets on. I think the rain will put off the move for a few days. It has been very warm and pleasant for some time and the mud has pretty much dried up, but this rain will make it muddy again. The artillery could not move now without getting stuck, I think. It would be strange if Gen. Hooker should get stuck in the mud as Burnside did. Tomorrow we are ordered to pack up everything except our overcoats, an extra shirt and pair of feetings and turn them over to the quartermaster, and he will send them to Washington for storage till we want them again. I am going to keep my rubber blanket if it is a possible thing and I should rather have turned over my overcoat and carried my blanket. You may be pretty sure that you will hear from the Army of the Potomac before long. Fredericksburg has got to fall one way as another as sure as the world stands. Of course we don’t know what the plan of attack is, but we think that the cavalry has gone up to cross the river above here and are coming down on their flank. The weather is warm enough now, the grass is green in the places where the Army has not cut the ground all up. Anywhere around here the ground is just like a road, but when we go out to the picket line, the grass is as green as it will get in N. H. the middle of May. The trees are beginning to look green, some of them. I got the papers you sent me all right. The boys are in good spirits and we think that the rebellion will be settled up before winter. I am well and tough as usual. Frank Knowlton has been promoted to corporal. Awhile ago you wanted to know where our boys came from and who is their captains. I can tell you now:
Co. A raised in Alton Captain Savage
Co. B “ “ Gilmanton and Barnstead. Captain Barker
Co. C New Hampton Center, Nashua, Bristol Lieut. Smith commanding, formerly Capt. Fowles
D Sanbornton Hill, Bristol Captain Keyes
E Holderness, Bridgewater, Plymouth Captain Shackford
F Pittsfield, Laudon Captain Langly
G Lake Village Captain Chase
H Laconia Lieut. Tilton, formerly, Capt. Whipple
I Meridith Captain Lang
K Wolfeborough Captain May

Fredom Sanborn
Co. H
12th Reg N. H. Vol

Col. J. H. Potter