45th Pennsylvania Infantry - Twice Wounded

Item LTR-8976

Description

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


Near Bladensburg, MD

October 27, 1861

Last night we struck our tents and got all ready for to march and formed in a line and stood about an hour. And then we were ordered to stack arms and take off knapsacks and then we waited until after dark. Waiting for orders to march. But the order came to go back to our quarters and pitch our tents. And we did so and waited till this morning when we struck our tents again and marched out about three miles. We are about four miles from the city and near a place called Bladensburg, on the railroad between Washington and Baltimore. I think there was a battle yesterday up above the city. For the cannons bounded a steady stream yesterday, all afternoon.

It is a very nice day here for Sunday. The wind blows cold from the north. We are in sight of a hill that is fortified. When we passed it, we could see the guns on the top of the bank. Zadoc Butler had a fit last night and he is sick yet. And Porter Sherman is under the weather today. Our Captain has not come back yet. The other boys are all well. Charley Townsend is sitting by the side of me writing a letter too.

There is fourteen men in a tent now. Myself, Fowler, C. H. Townsend, Porter Sherman, J.E. Jones, M. D. Wilson, E. B. Carvey, Henry Buckley, Sylvester Houghton, James Catlin, James M. Cole, Warden Tyler, Dewitt Haig and Decatur Dickinson.

When you write, direct to Washington, DC, care of Colonel Welsh, Company I, 45th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Give my directions to all of the girls up there and tell them to write. I have written more than forty letters and have not had but four yet. Tell everybody to write to me and the other boys. So goodbye, tell them.

William Chase

To G. W. Kennedy

Read the other first.

William Chase