The following letter was written by Capt. Richard Watson Musgrove (1840-1914), the son of James Musgrove (1798-1878) and Ann Donker (1802-1879) of Bristol, New Hampshire.

Richard entered the service in August 1862 as a corporal in Co. D, 12th New Hampshire Infantry, was appointed sergeant, Mar. 17, ’63; first sergeant, Feb. 1, ’64; was at battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville (where he had one musket shattered and another knocked from his hands), at Gettysburg (where he carried the state colors on the third day’s fight), and at Wapping Heights. When the regiment was stationed at Point Lookout, he was detailed for duty at the camp for prisoners of war, where he had charge of 1,000 men, all a later was sergeant of the provost guard at Gen. Gilman Marston’s brigade headquarters; discharged, Apr. 23, ’64, to accept promotion, and Apr 24, ’64, was appointed first lieutenant of Co. D, 1st Regt. U. S. Vol. Inf., a regiment, organized by Gen. Butler, and composed of prisoners of war who had taken the oath of allegiance and enlisted into the service of the Union; appointed captain of Co. I, same regiment, Aug. 13, ’64, and mustered out, May 21, ’66, after a service of three years and nine months. While in this regiment, he served three months in Norfolk, Va., as provost guard, and the balance of the time on the northwest and western frontiers, being stationed one year at Fort Ridgely, Minn. In the fall of ’65, his company with three others opened what is now the Smoky Hill route of the Union Pacific railroad, from Atchison, Kan., to Denver, Col. In winter of ’65-6, he was stationed at what is now Fort Wallace, Kansas, over 300 miles from the nearest settlement on the east. (Source: History of Bristol, N. H., vol. I, p. 208.)

In his letter, Richard mentioned hearing of the death of his younger brother, Adam Clark (“Abbott”) Musgrove (1842-1864). Abbott enlisted as a Private serving the Union Army in Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York on 21 Jul 1862. On 20 August 1862 he enlisted in Co. H, New York 115th Infantry Regiment. Abbott was killed in action and mustered out of service as a Corporal on 16 Aug 1864 in Deep Bottom Run, Henrico, Virginia.

Richard wrote the letter to Abigail (“Abbie”) Blake (1844-1911). Abbie married Rodolphus M. Locke (1839-1883) in November 1870.

Readers are also referred to a blog post on “Our War” describing Musgrove’s experience at the Battle of Chancellorsville when he was a sergeant in Co. D, 12th New Hampshire Volunteers. See Our War, 6 May 2014.

Transcription

Fort Ridgely, Minnesota
October 4th 1864

Friend Abbie,

I presume you have concluded by this time that I have forgotten you, but such is not the case. I have thought of you often and wondered that you did not write. By the last mail, however, the mystery was explained by the arrival of your letter bearing date of July 3rd directed to Norfolk Va,

As I did not leave there till the middle of August, I do not see why I did not receive it before I left there but it was anxious to find me, and followed me to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Madison, then to St. Paul, Minnesota, to Fort Snelling and then here. I have been at all these places and am now stopping here, but how long I shall remain here I know not.

My 2nd Lieut. is now gone to Fort Wadsworth, Dakota Territory, with 40 men of my company as a guard for a train of supplies going to Fort Wadsworth. I expected to go myself with the whole company and remain there during the winter, but I am pleased at the prospect of remaining here. We are now 120 miles west of St. Paul. There is not but one or two houses within fifteen miles of here so I am far enough out of the world. But we should be worse off at Fort Wadsworth which is 180 miles west of here and not a habitation within 150 miles of there. Wild animals of all description—buffaloes, bears, wolves, and Indians are very numerous and troublesome, but I should not care for them. I do not like, however, to be so far from friends. Here we get a mail three times a week. There we should have one only once a week. I had just as leave go there next summer and expect we shall go further west then—probably on an expedition against the Indians.

I suppose you was aware of the death of my brother long before I was, as I did not know that he was dead till about three weeks ago, but looked in each mail for a letter from him, little thinking that I had received my last from him. Of course I feel very badly about his early fall. I miss his letters, always cheerful and hopeful, and I shall miss him very much when I get home as I hope to some day. But I am proud to think that he died so noble a death in the service of his country and I have the fact to cheer me that he died a christian soldier and while I mourn his loss, I am cheered at the thought that he is at rest where war is unknown, and that if I am faithful to my God, I may one day meet him above, although I can never more see his face upon earth. It would be a pleasure in some respects to be at home at this time to mourn with those there, or I would esteem it a great privilege to hear his funeral sermon preached, but as this cannot be, I will try and bow submissively to this heavy affliction and may his death result in good to me and us all.

It has been so long since you wrote your last that I hardly know where to direct [your letter] but I guess I will direct this to Manchester as you said nothing about leaving there and I hope you will receive it. I thank you for the little gift enclosed in your letter. I will try and heed its warning voice, and if you fail to hear from me for a long time, you must not think that I have forgotten you but attribute it to some such cause as delayed me now, or maybe I shall not have an opportunity to write as I am very much of the time on the move. So if you do not get a prompt answer, just write again and I hope they will get round even if they are delayed three months.

Personally I am prospering very well since leaving Norfolk. Gen. Butler has had the kindness to send me an appointment as Captain so now I have the honor of wearing two bars instead of one. My work is no more, as I have had command of this company (I) since it was formed the first of June.

Since leaving Norfolk, I have rather lost track of some of the Bristol boys who are not at their regiment, Louis among the number, and I must hunt them up now that I have tome to write. But I must close. Write as soon as convenient and remember me as ever. Your true friend.

My address is R. W. Musgrove, Capt. Co. I, 1st USV. Fort Ridgely, Minnesota