The following letters were written by Samuel Beatty Walkington, Jr. (1840-Aft1882) of Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, who enlisted on 30 May 1861 as a private in Co. I, 2nd New Jersey Infantry. He was promoted to a corporal in October 1862 and to 1st Sergeant in June 1863. At some point during his service, Samuel was taken prisoner and was exchanged though his records don’t say when.

Samuel was the son of Irish emigrants Samuel and Eliza Walkington. Like his father, Samuel was a machinist and after the war, Samuel relocated to California where he worked as an engine builder in Alameda county. He was enumerated among the registered voters there through at least 1882.

Having had little opportunity to become engaged during the 1st Battle of Manassas, Samuel’s letters share extraordinary detail about picketing and skirmishing activities typical of early-war letters.

Letter 1

Roaches Mills, Virginia
July 27th 1861

Dear Parents,

Your very welcome letter has just come to hand and was the source of great pleasure to me. You folks at home seem to overrate our hardship greatly. We have gone through nothing yet that any reasonable man should grumble at. It is true we had a forced march of fifty miles the other day, and that our fare during that time was none of the best, but still we had enough for ourselves and some to spare to some of the poor fellows who had been engaged on the battlefield all day, and since we have got settled down once more our fare is the same as usual, and not very bad as you will say when I tell you what we have generally.

In the first place, we get a loaf of bread about the size of a baker’s six cent loaf every day, for breakfast either field beefsteak or fried ham together with as much coffee as we want. For dinner we have either fresh or corned beef, or vegetable soup, and to make it go better we often go out and gather tomatoes or green corn, which taken together you must allow makes no very mean dinner. For supper, coffee and bread, and sometimes rice or beefsteak, suffices to keep us from going hungry to bed. We can get blackberries in any quantity here and I generally manage to eat about a quart a day.

You speak about my being short of money. It is true what I had with me is done, for whenever we move from one place to another, we are generally short of rations and have to buy something to eat. But you need not send me any as I can borrow it here from time to time as I need it. If you hear of anyone coming out here with whom you can send anything, you might send me a pound or two of smoking, and a little chewing tobacco, although you need go to no trouble about it as I can get it here of a little worse quality and, by paying a little more for it. I have this minute been over to see Sam Jackson and got a couple of Paterson oranges from him. His ankle has got entirely better. But I must close as I am going to write to George Seddon. By the way, both he and you made quite a mistake about the envelope I spoke about, not having as I see both of you have sent me some. I had plenty of them, only they were in my knapsack here and I was in Vienna.

I, Flavell, and all the boys you know are well. Give my love to Uncle Fenton’s family and my respects to anyone who may enquire after me. Write to me if you can conveniently about once a week and believe me to be your affectionate son. — S. B. Walkington

I have had some trouble in getting my letters as they were not directed right. You always left out company. Direct to S. B. Walkington, Co. I, 2nd Regt. N. J. Vols., Care of Col. McLean, Washington D. C.

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Letter 2

Camp St. Johns
Fairfax county, Va.
September 1st 1861

Dear Parents,

I received your letter last night and one a day or two before, but I had not time to answer the first till just now, having been away from camp four days. We left camp Thursday morning to go out on picket guard about five and a half miles from camp to Barcroft’s Mills—one of the worst positions to hold that could be imagined as it would be a hard matter to make a safe retreat from it in case of an attack from a large force of the rebels as the mill is situated in a ravine surrounded on all sides by very steep hills from the tops of which anybody in the ravine might be blowed to pieces. But to resume.

Our company arrived there at about twelve o’clock and immediately proceeded to post pickets along all the roads leading to the mills. We went along the road to the right of the mill about a quarter of a mile and were about to post a picket of four men when on suddenly looking to our left we found that we were immediately under a rebel battery on a high hill only about half a mile distant, and which commanded the road on which we were, and also Baileys Cross Roads about three quarters of a mile from where we were. We were under command of Charley Danforth and turned right back and posted our picket under cover from the battery, and then the rest of us turned back and proceeded up the road to the left of the mill till we came near a toll gate where we posted another picket of four men, of which I was one. The rest then proceeded to the toll house about twenty yards distant and enquired of the man if there were any rebels around. He said there was not and the Lieut. proceeded to post a picket back of the house. At this minute I spied an officer and a man coming across a field. They proved to be the Generals and a provate who gave orders to go back about half a mile.

I went up to tell Danforth to come back and found the men with their pieces cocked standing behind the trees. On looking through the trees, I ground that had come across a party of rebels who had on discovering our men, dodged behind the trees and retreated back. We then drawed in the pickets previously posted and went back about a mile to a safer position where we remained all night on guard and where we were relieved next morning by Co, F who remained on three days and had a skirmish with the enemy. had one man wounded and I believe killed two of the rebels. The next picket to us from the Third regiment also had a brush with the enemy in which they had two killed. The funeral services were had today, Sunday.

But I must close. I am in first rate spirits and in good health. Give my love to Tom and Julia and all the rest. Sam Hicks [?] is well. From your affectionate son, — S. B. W.