The following letter was written by Samuel Tyler Miller (1826-1905), the son of John B. Miller (1797-1858) and Elizabeth A. Tyler (1800-1889) of Paulsboro, Gloucester county, New Jersey. Samuel attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and was practicing allopathic medicine in Paulsboro, Gloucester county, New Jersey at the time of the 1860 US Census. In August 1862, he left his wife Fannie M. Price (1834-1879) of five years to accept a commission as an Assistant Surgeon, Field and Staff, 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. He remained in that capacity until he resigned due to disability 8 November 1864.

Samuel wrote the letter to “Steward Knapp” who was otherwise unidentified in the letter but an internet search yielded the following information on Knapp: “The Edgar Knapp Letters span the years 1862-1864 and are comprised of 40 letters received by Edgar Knapp while he was working as a hospital steward at the U.S. military hospital in Annapolis, Maryland.” These letters were purchased by Special Collections at Virginia Tech in April 2002 with the following biographical note. “Lieutenant Edgar R. Knapp (ca. 1836-?) of Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan, was a steward at the United States military hospital in Annapolis, Maryland from 1862-1864. His brother H. Knapp was probably Henry Knapp (1813-1893), who is listed in the 1860 census as a doctor in Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan. Randolph Knapp, whose death is the subject of some of the correspondence, was born in 1840 in Michigan and died at the Battle of Gettysburg.”

Transcription

Hospital 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps
City Point, Virginia
July 9th 1864

Steward Knapp,

Sir, when last I saw you, who would have thought that so long a time would have elapsed before one or the other of us would have written. For my own part, there is the best excuse in the world, having been on the most active campaign that has taken place during the war, with a good disposition, but no facilities but a lead pencil & my knee for a writing desk.

There is no use in me in relating any incidents that have taken place during this time. Suffice it to say that my regiment is reduced from 420 muskets to about 100. Have run clear myself so far (only having been struck once upon the spur) but do not intend to have them in so close proximity again if I know myself. About two weeks since I detailed to this place and have virtually been running the machine. Mrs. Price ¹ is with me as one of my female nurses. I have three more, one of which is rather an interesting young lady—“Nuff Ced.”

I have met the Lieutenant who accompanied us to the Depot the night I went home in April and if I may judge from his statement, I think the service would be doing you a favor in removing you to some other place where attractions are not so liberally displayed and inducements not constantly staring you in the face. A word of caution may not be out of place. Young man, be cautious and hold a tight rein.

That you have not written to me, I must acknowledge that I am somewhat ashamed of you, surrounded as you are with all the facilities for writing and neglecting a friend who would volunteer advice as the above. I forget the Lieutenant’s name but you doubtless recollect him. He is a patient in the 9th Corps Hospital about 100 yards from here and over which Dr. Wheeler presides.

I might say during this campaign, many friends have fallen & more disabled I fear for life. May God hasten the time when this unholy warfare shall cease.

Yesterday I made a trip to Fort Monroe and back with wounded men. The distance from here is about 90 miles, the first time that I ever passed up or down the James River. We made the trip almost entirely during the daylight so I had a good time. Think I shall go to Washington in a few days on the same errand. I frequently see Dr. Gibson. He is with Dr. [Thomas Andrew] McParlin. I think he is acting the part of Medical Inspector. He was always a special favorite of Dr. McParlin’s.

This City Point is and has been a great “Depot Hospital” for the army. The other day we had some 10,000 patients at one time. I am just broken off to admit 43 sick men from the front. Wonder if I shall make as much excitement about it as Vandergrift does when he receives a cargo. Well I have just returned from admitting them and without the assistance of 10 doctors, 1 officer of the day, 8 stewards, 15 clerks, and 3 orderlies. Having done this without such assistance and got along too very quietly (“without disturbing the Army of the Potomac”) I do console myself with the fact I have improved much since leaving Annapolis and now am fully gratified to take charge of a “One Horse Hospital.”

I got a letter from Fannie today & she is much concerned for Fred, not having heard from him for a month or so.

The change from the front is a very pleasant one. There one has to put up with anything he can get to eat. Here we have full and plenty of everything. We rise in the morning at six, take breakfast at 7, lunch on cat fish and coffee, or something else at 12 and take dinner at five. Lunch again in the evening, then again we have ice cream almost every day. So you will readily perceive that we are not suffering for the want of that which is calculated to promote a person’s comfort, nor do we wish for, without getting it, anything like malt liquors to prolong one’s life.

Believe me to be very respectfully your obedient servant, — Samuel T. Miller, Hospital Surgeon, 12th New Jersey Volunteers

P. S. Should you desire to write to me anytime soon, please direct as follows:

Samuel T. Miller
Asst. Surgeon
12th N. J. Vols,
2nd Corps Hospital
City Point, Va.

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¹ Mrs. Rebecca Lane (Pennypacker) Price (1837-1919) was a native of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She married Edwin Price in 1853 and volunteered as a nurse during the Civil War. She came to City Point after working at White House Landing with Mr. Ritz and Miss Sayles. “While at City Point, she was often seen helping with the organization of the wounded onto the hospital steamers using a state agent’s pass that Governor Curtin has issued her.” Rebecca came from the prominent Pennypacker family of eastern Pennsylvania. First cousin Galusha Pennypacker was a Civil War brigadier general by the time he was 20 years old and was awarded a Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher, North Carolina, in January 1865. She was second cousin to Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker, governor of Pennsylvania from 1903 to 1907, and her mother, Elizabeth, ran a Union Army hospital in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Source: The Women of City Point, Virginia” by Jeanne Marie Christie, pp.183-4.

Gloucester County Democrat, 6 April 1905: