Union Civil War Letters: Battles

Antietam Battle Letter – Written by William H. Trisler, Co. K, 14^th Indiana Infantry… Their Brigade never gave way during the battle & earned the title “The Gibraltar Brigade” – Trisler describes being hit 3 times! – “THERE IS FIVE ACRES COVERED WITH DEAD REBS. SUCH A SMELL I COULD HARDLY STAND IT.”

The Battle of Fredericksburg – Letters by William B. Glass Co. F, 155^th Pa. Infantry

16^th Maine Soldiers Letter – Albert C. Brown Gives a Graphic Description of the Battle of Laurel Hill, Virginia – “THE BULLETS BEGAN TO WHISTLE ABOUT OUR EARS AND THE SHELLS TO BURST OVER OUR HEADS AND THE SOLID SHOT TO PLOUGH UP THE GROUND AND CUT OFF THE TREES ALL ABOUT US.”

Capt. John J. Knox, Co. D, 5^th Michigan Infantry Writes Home on the Battlefield of Chancellorsville!

Shiloh Battle Letter – Andrew Tuttle, 77^th Pa. Infantry – “THE GROUND WAS ALMOST COVERED WITH DEAD BODIES, SOME WITH THEIR HEADS SHOT OFF AND SOME ALL TORN TO PIECES.”

Letter Describing One of the Last Battles in the Civil War – April 9^th, 1865 the Battle of Dingle’s Mill in S.C. (The same date that Lee was surrendering at Appomattox C. H.) – Jonathan E. Pillsworth, Co. A, 56^th New York Infantry Describes the Action.  They fought along with the famous 54^th Mass. Black Regiment!  You have got to see the photo of the politically “incorrect” historical marker we found!

Lieut. William W. Wells, Co. F, 58^th Pa. Infantry Writes from “Camp Suffolk, Va.” in December 1862 – He Describes & DRAWS A MAP of their Expedition to the Blackwater River – “IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE A MAN DODGE, IT IS A PARROT SHELL” – “A CURIOUS SOUND THEIR PARROT SHELLS HAVE. SOMETHING LIKE A RAILROAD CAR UNDER FULL MOTION” – “THEY CAME THICKER AND FASTER, BURSTING ALL AROUND US, TEARING OFF LARGE BRANCHES OF TREES AND STRIKING IN AMONG US.”

Fredericksburg Battle Letter Written by Ellis C. Strouss, Co. K, 57th Pa. Infantry

A Quite Amazing 27th Connecticut Battle Letter from the Battle of Fredericksburg – George S. Hill Describes being Hit there 3 Times & with a Piece of Shell Still Stuck Between his Eyes. His Overcoat had 9 Bullet Holes in it!