The following letter was written by 19 year-old Francis (“Frank”) Marion Crandall (1843-1864), the son of Samuel Mortimer Crandall (1815-1855) and Elizabeth East (1823-18xx) of Baraboo, Sauk county, Wisconsin. Frank enlisted as a fifer in Co. A, 6th Wisconsin Infantry on 10 May 1861. He was wounded at the Battle of Antietam on 17 September 1862 and mustered out of the regiment on 6 July 1864, dying of disease at Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. An article appearing in the Baraboo Weekly News on 9 November 1911 claims that “Mrs. J. G. Train” donated “many pictures including [one of] Leroy Gates; also ‘housewife.’ [Sewing kit] carried through the war by Frank M. Crandall.”

Frank wrote the letter to his cousin, Katherine (“Katie”) Crandall who was the daughter of David Phelps Crandall (1802-1877) and Priscilla East (b. 1815) who came to Sauk county, Wisconsin, from Montgomery, Mississippi.

At the time this letter was written in mid-May 1862, the Army of the Potomac was advancing on Richmond in the Peninsula Campaign. The 6th Wisconsin, however, were part of the 3rd Brigade in King’s Division, and stationed in the Dept. of the Rappahannock until June 1862.

Transcription

Fredericksburg, Virginia
May 13th 1862

Dear cousin,

I received your kind letter somewhere about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon and was glad to receive one more letter before I died. I never expected to get another letter but I am glad that I was mistaken. I am sorry to hear of the death [of] Charley Brice. He was a fine young man, yet thousands have been killed who are no less dear.

Give my best respects to Martin & the girls and tell them I should be very much pleased to hear from them. Tell Martin to write. Have you received a letter from a Mr. Atwell? He old me he had written to you. He is a well educated young man and is a lawyer. You must write to him. He is also a schoolteacher at Waukechon.

Tell Sarah Martin & Leona Case that they had better write to me if they know when they are well off. Jake Langhart, I am sorry to say, is left behind. He was sick when we left. There was one time that they thought he would not live but they say that he is a good deal better now. ¹

May 15th. I am once more seated to write. I am sitting wrapped up in two or three blankets so as to keep warm so you can form what sort of weather we have down here. The day that I went to see Jake [Langhart] I found a good Union family. He was very much pleased with me and would not let me depart without going into the house which I did and there I found a young lady, his daughter, about 19 years old and good-looking & smart.

I had a fine time last Sunday [11 May 1862]. I saw a skirmish between our cavalry under Col. Harris ² and some rebel infantry. We took one Lieutenant & 17 privates with no loss. I must close. Love to all the folks. From your affectionate cousin, — Frank

¹ Jacob C. Langhart served with Frank in Co. A, 6th Wisconsin Infantry. He was killed in action at the Battle of South Mountain on 14 September 1862.

² Col. Ira Harris led the 5th New York Cavalry.