62nd Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-6877

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink. (Some separation at seams)


Camp at Bottoms Bridge, Virginia
June the 15th 1862

Dear Sister,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. Hoping that these few lines may find you in and all the rest in the same state of health. We are encamped at Bottom Bridge, eight miles from Richmond. We have had two fights here lately. One at Fair Oaks in front of Richmond and one at Hanover Court House, 17 miles north of Richmond. I was in the Battle at Hanover Court House one, 27th of May. It was a hard fight indeed. While it looked there was five thousand of our men and eight thousand of rebels, we fought there for hours and drove them back with heavy loss. Our loss in killed, wounded and missing were three hundred and seventy. The rebels loss six hundred killed and wounded and we took fifteen hundred prisoners. I crossed the battlefield the first morning and I can tell you sister it was a hard fight. I see all the dead men laying around. Some with their head shot off and some the legs and arms shot off. It was the hardest sight I ever seen. We are expecting a battle here every day and that will be the taking of Richmond, which will be a hard battle. But I think it will see the last. I think that the war will be over now before long. For we whip them every place. we beat them and Richmond is the last stronghold they have got. The weather here is very warm and the that is bad. There is a great many of our men sick and some dying. For my part, thank God I have had very good health so far. The cherries and berries are all ripe in this part of the country and the grain, wheat and rye, is ripe and fit to cut. This is a nice farming country. Very level and a great place for fruit. There will be plenty of apples and peaches ripe here in a short time. I had a letter from my brother George. One last Friday telling me all well and has a young son three weeks old and they call him Peter James. Well, I think that I must bring my letter to a close by sending my best respect to father and mother and all the rest of the children. Give my love to all the young ladies in Carrolltown, amore at present.

Remain your true Brother,

Peter R. Bartren

Please write soon. I wrote you a letter some time ago and never got answer and I wrote one to father and never got answer. But I hope that you will write this time.

Please and write soon and direct your letter as follows:

Peter Bartren
Company M, Colonel Black
62nd Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers
Porter’s Division
Army of the Potomac
Washington City

Peter R. Bartren