Civil War Letters PA 119 Soldier Reveals Rebel Bullets To Cap, Grant ' S VA Plans
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:128753 |
The PA 119th Infantry was in many major battles during the Civil War, including Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Winchester, Fort Stevens, Fort Stedman, Appomattox Campaign and Petersburg. ELI FRENCH enlisted in the PA 119th Infantry on September 3, 1863. He was wounded on May 12, 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House. French’s enlistment covered the dates of many battles, such as the Bristoe... Campaign, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spotsylvania (where he was wounded), Cold Harbor. There is no indication when he actually left the service, but the latest letter is dated June 24, 1864.
Offering four ALSs from French to his mother. French writes from Virginia, where a number of major battles occurred. Although he spares his mother the dangerous details of battle, he mentions battles in general and most definitely fought in a number of them. He speaks of preparing to take Richmond and General Grant’s need of a large army. He writes of rebels shooting at him. “One bullet went through my cap, took a little hair off my head and the other bullet went through my coffee pot.”
4 pp, 5 x 8, in small part, “…I was very sorry to hear you was so sick. Dear Mother you know I can’t come home. We are going to move in a few weeks. We are going to take Richmond and General Grant wants all the men he can get and he won’t let me [go] home. We have to fight many a hard battle this spring. God knows I might be killed in the first battle this Spring. Old General Grant won’t let nobody home till next fall. So I got to fight till then. Then I can come home then if I haint dead in Virginia down with all the battles been in I came out pretty safe. God knows I will this summer. I came in from picket [and] the sergeant gave me two letters and…I found them very bad news from home…I will try hard as I can in the summer to get home to you and stay with you…and work and buy a small boat and earn money for you…When I was home, you didn’t like me and so I enlisted in the army…You used to say I gave you so much trouble and eat so much you could not keep me. I cost you so much…I got a letter from Johnny Kick. He said he was well and said he is going to come in the field where I am South in Dixie in Virginia where all the rebels are and old Jeff Davis…I got a solid gold ring and I sent it in this letter for you, a pretty gold ring and if you received it, put it on your finger and wear it all your life…”
3 pp, 5 x 8, Brandy Station, Virginia, February 7, 1864. “…You ask if I haint tired of soldiering. I like soldiering frustrated as I am on picket every week and on the other side of the Rappahannock River in the woods watching the rebels. Two rebels shot at me and one bullet went through my cap, took a little hair off my head and the other bullet went through my coffee pot. Dear Mother I will come home as soon as I can. I am waiting till we are paid and then I will try and come home. Dear Mother I was sorry when I heard that Juley Krees died. I went to school with her. Dear Mother what is Josephine Berniger doing now. Is she married yet?...How is the weather…It is pretty fair here in the field…What regiment is George Baker in. You say he is enlisted in Albany…” He concludes with his sketch of a military drawing.
3 pp, 5 x 8, Camp near Brandy Station, February 22, 1864. “…I came in from picket and I got your two letters…The rebels are starving. They are living on a pint of flour a day for one day for one rebel…They have no coffee and no sugar as we have…We are going to get paid off in March…I will send some money off to you as quick as I get paid. Dear Mother I wish I was home to you…I haint slept in a bed for a year and a half. I always sleep in my tent on the ground in Virginny…Send me 25 cents of postage stamps. I can’t get for love or money…We are going to have a big fight here…The rebels are busy in throwing up breast works and forts and rifle pits across the Rapidan River we had a big battle before…I got drunk and kicked the coffee and spilt it all over…John Kick is a friend of yours. He is adjutant of the 2nd Mounted Rifles. He sends his best respects to you.” He concludes with a military sketch.
3 ½ pp, 4 ½ x 7 ½, Virginia, June 26th, 1864. “…It makes me feel glad to hear from you being in good health. Now, I will tell you my history. I left my old regiment in New York County after coming home from the field. So, I did not like the old regiment. So, I enlisted in the 119 P.V[Pennsylvania Volunteers]…I am going to leave this regiment on the first of May or sometime this month and I will go and see you. Then, I will go back to my old regiment and serve out my time for I am tired of soldiering. I want to know if my uncle Charley live I the same place…and my Uncle Henry is boating yet. I want to know if you sold half of the lot…Did my Uncle Fred pay those 4 hundred dollars for the house and lot…I am going to send the little watch I got by Adams Express…We ain’t going to be paid until the 15th of March…The paymaster is busy in paying the old Veterans bounty…”
Folds, toning, handling wear to the third and fourth letters. Small paper loss and lightness to the fourth letter, affecting a couple of words. French’s creative spelling has been corrected for clarity in the transcription. A nice collection of soldier letters from this important regiment. Beautiful military drawings in the second and third letters.
Everything we sell is guaranteed authentic forever to the original buyer. We also offer a 30-day return policy. If you discover a problem or are dissatisfied with an item, please contact us immediately. Our goal is to please every customer. We are pleased to be members of The Manuscript Society, Universal Autograph Collectors Club and The Ephemera Society. [CW 124 ]
Offering four ALSs from French to his mother. French writes from Virginia, where a number of major battles occurred. Although he spares his mother the dangerous details of battle, he mentions battles in general and most definitely fought in a number of them. He speaks of preparing to take Richmond and General Grant’s need of a large army. He writes of rebels shooting at him. “One bullet went through my cap, took a little hair off my head and the other bullet went through my coffee pot.”
4 pp, 5 x 8, in small part, “…I was very sorry to hear you was so sick. Dear Mother you know I can’t come home. We are going to move in a few weeks. We are going to take Richmond and General Grant wants all the men he can get and he won’t let me [go] home. We have to fight many a hard battle this spring. God knows I might be killed in the first battle this Spring. Old General Grant won’t let nobody home till next fall. So I got to fight till then. Then I can come home then if I haint dead in Virginia down with all the battles been in I came out pretty safe. God knows I will this summer. I came in from picket [and] the sergeant gave me two letters and…I found them very bad news from home…I will try hard as I can in the summer to get home to you and stay with you…and work and buy a small boat and earn money for you…When I was home, you didn’t like me and so I enlisted in the army…You used to say I gave you so much trouble and eat so much you could not keep me. I cost you so much…I got a letter from Johnny Kick. He said he was well and said he is going to come in the field where I am South in Dixie in Virginia where all the rebels are and old Jeff Davis…I got a solid gold ring and I sent it in this letter for you, a pretty gold ring and if you received it, put it on your finger and wear it all your life…”
3 pp, 5 x 8, Brandy Station, Virginia, February 7, 1864. “…You ask if I haint tired of soldiering. I like soldiering frustrated as I am on picket every week and on the other side of the Rappahannock River in the woods watching the rebels. Two rebels shot at me and one bullet went through my cap, took a little hair off my head and the other bullet went through my coffee pot. Dear Mother I will come home as soon as I can. I am waiting till we are paid and then I will try and come home. Dear Mother I was sorry when I heard that Juley Krees died. I went to school with her. Dear Mother what is Josephine Berniger doing now. Is she married yet?...How is the weather…It is pretty fair here in the field…What regiment is George Baker in. You say he is enlisted in Albany…” He concludes with his sketch of a military drawing.
3 pp, 5 x 8, Camp near Brandy Station, February 22, 1864. “…I came in from picket and I got your two letters…The rebels are starving. They are living on a pint of flour a day for one day for one rebel…They have no coffee and no sugar as we have…We are going to get paid off in March…I will send some money off to you as quick as I get paid. Dear Mother I wish I was home to you…I haint slept in a bed for a year and a half. I always sleep in my tent on the ground in Virginny…Send me 25 cents of postage stamps. I can’t get for love or money…We are going to have a big fight here…The rebels are busy in throwing up breast works and forts and rifle pits across the Rapidan River we had a big battle before…I got drunk and kicked the coffee and spilt it all over…John Kick is a friend of yours. He is adjutant of the 2nd Mounted Rifles. He sends his best respects to you.” He concludes with a military sketch.
3 ½ pp, 4 ½ x 7 ½, Virginia, June 26th, 1864. “…It makes me feel glad to hear from you being in good health. Now, I will tell you my history. I left my old regiment in New York County after coming home from the field. So, I did not like the old regiment. So, I enlisted in the 119 P.V[Pennsylvania Volunteers]…I am going to leave this regiment on the first of May or sometime this month and I will go and see you. Then, I will go back to my old regiment and serve out my time for I am tired of soldiering. I want to know if my uncle Charley live I the same place…and my Uncle Henry is boating yet. I want to know if you sold half of the lot…Did my Uncle Fred pay those 4 hundred dollars for the house and lot…I am going to send the little watch I got by Adams Express…We ain’t going to be paid until the 15th of March…The paymaster is busy in paying the old Veterans bounty…”
Folds, toning, handling wear to the third and fourth letters. Small paper loss and lightness to the fourth letter, affecting a couple of words. French’s creative spelling has been corrected for clarity in the transcription. A nice collection of soldier letters from this important regiment. Beautiful military drawings in the second and third letters.
Everything we sell is guaranteed authentic forever to the original buyer. We also offer a 30-day return policy. If you discover a problem or are dissatisfied with an item, please contact us immediately. Our goal is to please every customer. We are pleased to be members of The Manuscript Society, Universal Autograph Collectors Club and The Ephemera Society. [CW 124 ]
