1862: Unidentified “Austin” to his Cousin Celia

The lack of an envelope and the failure to mention any surnames or regimental affiliations in this letters makes it impossible to identify the author of this letter written by Austin to his cousin Celia. The letter was datelined from a “camp near Richmond, Virginia” on 21 May 1862 some two weeks after the Battle of Williamsburg and a week before the Battle of Fair Oaks while on the Peninsula Campaign. Though Austin claims to have been in the Battle of Williamsburg, he also states that there were no casualties in his entire regiment so they must not have actually participated in the fighting. The battle was a “rear-guard” action and only the Union regiments who were in the lead of the march from Yorktown to Williamsburg actually got seriously involved. Those regiments that trailed were delayed by rain and mud.

The Battle of Williamsburg was a rear-guard action fought in rain and mud on May 5, 1862. The Union forces, led by George B. McClellan’s second-in-command, Edwin Vose Sumner, attacked the Confederates as the Southern forces withdrew from their Yorktown defenses en route to Richmond. The armies met near Williamsburg, which was defended by 13 small redoubts and anchored at its center by a large one, Fort Magruder. The Federal forces outnumbered the Confederates 2 to 1 (112,000 soldiers to 54,000 soldiers).

Transcription

Camp near Richmond, Virginia
May the 21st 1862

Dear cousin Celia,

With pleasure I write you these few lines to tell you that we are only 12 miles from Richmond, the place that the Rebels said the damned Yankees as they call us would never fire a gun or a shot into that city. I don’t know as they will but they are within 9 miles of the place by land and have got control of the James river. Our gunboats are up there within three miles by water. There is no possible chance for the rebels to escape this time I think.

Well, Celia, I have been in one battle. It was not a very pleasing thing to me though I owed the rebs spite and tried hard to kill them. I did not get hurt at all. Neither did any of our regiment but it was a hard fight. I think likely that you have seen it in the paper before this time. It was the Battle of Williamsburg. There was a great many killed and wounded. We killed them so that the ground was left covered with dead and wounded men. I could look over about 75 or 100 acres of land. They laid all over that after the fight.

*The observation balloon Intrepid was used by Thaddeus Lowe during the Peninsula Campaign.*

May the 22nd. There is nothing new this morning to write about only I saw a balloon go up this morning about three miles in advance of us. All seems to be very quiet this morning. There is a report that North Carolina has come back into the Union and has offered thirteen regiments to the Federal Government. I can’t say it is true but if she has not, I think she had better.

It has been a long time since I have seen my folks or friends but I hope that it will not be a great many months before I can go home and see them again. But providing I don’t get a chance to go home to see them in a short time, I hope that I may live to once more go home. But it may be with me as it has been with many a patriotic soldier who has left his happy home to go to help put this horrible rebellion down.

Though I am in the army, I feel happy as one can [be] in this place but I do not fancy war at all. My health is very good. We are moving most every day so I don’t get much chance to write or do anything else. I guess that you think by this time that I have forgotten you or feel too much above common folks to write to you but not so. I have not had the chance to write. It is not like being at home where a person can sit down and write any time they are a mind to. I must finish now because I can’t think of any more to write.

O. H. There is one thing more, I heard that Aurelia was married, Is that so. If it is, I should like to know who she married. That is all. Please write as soon as you get this. Direct as before. — Austin