Civil War Letters: Maine

Facing Confederate “Torpedoes” During the Peninsula Campaign – Letter By Captain Charles W. Tilden, who would go on to lead the 16^th Maine at Gettysburg

An Important Letter from Abigail Almira Hawes of Castine, Maine:  Teacher, Historian & Admirer of Capt. Charles Tilden of the 16^th Maine – Letter to the Captain October 13^th, 1861

The Battle of Fredericksburg, “BURNSIDES SLAUGHTER HOUSE” – Letter & Hand Drawn Map by Sgt. Richard Crockett, 19th Maine Infantry – “Most of the houses burnt up or riddled with cannon balls.”


Long, Large Letter from the 3rd Maine Infantry, Birney’s Brigade – 20 Miles from Richmond – Sgt. Hannibal A. Johnson Writes a Great Letter about the Battle of Williamsburg: “Half of their men were killed by the bayonets of our boys for the rain had rendered half of the guns useless…” – “THE WOUNDED COULD BE HEARD MOANING IN PAIN, FOR IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OFF ALL OUR WOUNDED” – “THE ROAD AND FIELD WAS COVERED WITH THE BODIES OF FRIENDS AND FOE ALL DEAD” – “Some of these poor fellows were so deep in the mud and water that we could not tell whether they were our men or not”